Click to play videoMumbai: The Bombay High Court has refused to ban children taking part in forming of human pyramids for dahi handi during Janmashtami celebrations.
The court ruled that it is a sport like any other and those participating are like athletes.
During Janmashtami celebrations dahi handi is a thrilling sight as youngsters make a human pyramid with a child climbing to the top to break the handi.
But there is also a danger of the pyramid collapsing and the people getting injured.
Support India Foundation, an NGO, found out from only six city hospitals through the Right to Information Act that about 840 people were injured between 2003 and 2008 in dahi handi celebrations out of which as many as 65 were minors.
Most of the injured were admitted with head and limb injuries.
The NGO approached the Bombay High Court asking that small children be banned from taking part in human pyramids on this Janmashtami.
But the court has observed that taking part in dahi handi should be treated as a sport and participants as athletes.
The court has however, asked the state government to issue a list of safety guidelines to various dahi handi organisers so that better precautions are in place.
"Court has passed an order on our petition. It is a favourable order directing local authorities to formulate a guideline and precautionary measures for the forth coming dahi handi this year," lawyer Khushnuma Khan said.
With a list of new guidelines in place, hopefully, the number of children injured in dahi handi celebrations will come down.
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