LAHORE: After a lapse of almost six years, the Punjab government is showing intent to revive the festival of Basant.
A meeting of Lahore Dilkash Committee project headed by former Justice Khalil Ramday, held a special meeting here the other day to work out a plan as how best the festival could be held. There were indications that the provincial government would allow the observance of the Basant festival next year to win the sympathies of fun loving Lahoris.Some years ago the use of lethal chemical dor (twine) and ruthless gun fire resorted to by a handful of criminal minded people had caused deaths of many innocent people, mainly children.
The scenario forced the government to ban the festival by disallowing manufacturing of kites and their sale. Later, the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a suo motu action had supported the official ban imposed on the traditional festival. Of late there had been voices coming in support of observing Basant while asking the government that the use of chemical twine and weapons for aerial firing should be checked by the law enforcing agencies, which would allow tens of thousands of common citizens to observe the festival.
Kite manufacturing and twine making had been the sources of livelihood of thousands of families who were entirely associated with this cottage level industry.Since these families did not have any alternate occupation other than manufacturing kites and twines, the government was now contemplating to find a viable solution to enable the celebration of the Basant festival next year. – PT
