Cuttack, Dec. 16 -- With Makar Sankranti barely a month away, preparations for kite flying have already begun across Odisha. Markets across Cuttack have become hubs of illegal trade in manja, the glass-coated kite string banned by the Orissa High Court for being hazardous to life.

Despite the prohibition, vendors are openly selling both traditional and Chinese manja, exposing glaring enforcement gaps in the city.

From busy streets to residential localities, the presence of manja in kite-flying preparations has once again raised safety alarms. Pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders remain the most vulnerable, as the razor-sharp string has repeatedly caused fatal throat injuries over the years.

In the 11 years, at least four peopl...