Shops without Kannada name boards to lose license?

The Kannada Development Authority has instructed BBMP to cancel the license of all shops that do not have Kannada on its name boards.  The order from the Kannada Development Authority states that 60 percent of the name board should be in Kannada.  License of shops without Kannada in their name boards should be cancelled. All BBMP advertisements should be in Kannada. Some advertisements in Kannada papers are also given in English. This must be discontinued said Prof S G Siddaramaiah, reported Kannada Prabha.

ADA president Prof S G Siddaramaiah inspected BDA and BBMP offices on Monday.  He observed that Kannada is not being used on name boards at circles, roads, parks and extensions effectively.  Basavanagudi Road is named as Bull Temple Road in Kannada.  Basavanagudi has cultural significance and changing it to English is a great loss to heritage, he said.

In the past 5 years Kannada is making quick disappearance in the City.  Names of roads and shop name boards are written in English. The BBMP’s identification card is also printed in English, he observed.  He warned that if this system continues he would recommend to the government.

Responding to his observations BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad assured that he would implement Kannada name boards. However, to change the name boards of roads is not within the powers of BBMP and it would submit the decisions taken at the Council Meeting to the government. He said he would call a meeting of the council within a month.

The contract outsourcing has resulted in 80 percent of the Pourakarmikas being Telugu speaking. The rest 10 percent speaks Tamil and 10 percent Kannada.  The government order states that in C and D group workers only Kannada personnel should be appointed. But the situation in BBMP is different, said BBMP Commissioner.

• Shops nameboards in Kannada
• No Kannada lose licence