<p>Bengaluru: All commercial establishments in Bengaluru must use Kannada prominently on their name boards — as much as 60 per cent — by February 28, 2024, or lose their trade licence and face legal action, a top civic official said on Sunday. </p><p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon start identifying establishments that do not follow the requirement, and send them notices. </p><p>The civic body's Chief Commissioner, Tushar Girinath, stipulated this at a meeting called in Malleswaram by pro-Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), which has launched an aggressive campaign to promote the use of Kannada. </p><p>Despite Bengaluru's emergence as a cosmopolitan city, Kannada remains an emotive issue for many residents, who argue that the language must take pride of place in India's IT Capital. </p><p>As per state government rules, commercial establishments are required to use Kannada prominently on their name boards. Save for sporadic protests and campaigns by pro-Kannada outfits such as KRV, this rule was seldom enforced strictly. </p><p>But this could change. </p><p>According to Girinath, shops, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the BBMP limits must follow the Kannada name board rule in toto. </p><p>As per a BBMP statement, the civic body will survey all the 1,400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city to identify shops that do not follow the rule. Errant shops will soon be issued notices, specifying February 28, 2024, as the deadline. </p><p>The survey will be monitored by the BBMP's zonal officers, who will face action if they fail to enforce the rule. </p><p>The BBMP will also hold a meeting with mall owners in the city limits and give them 15-20 days to comply with the rule. Mall authorities are to ask all shops on their premises to prominently display Kannada on their name boards or else face legal action. </p><p>While the BBMP didn't specify the legal action, this could mean a fine. </p><p>KRV state president T A Narayana Gowda told DH that they launched the drive after the authorities of a newly opened mall in Hebbal refused to comply with the Kannada rule. The outfit then brought the matter to the BBMP chief's notice, he added.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: All commercial establishments in Bengaluru must use Kannada prominently on their name boards — as much as 60 per cent — by February 28, 2024, or lose their trade licence and face legal action, a top civic official said on Sunday. </p><p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon start identifying establishments that do not follow the requirement, and send them notices. </p><p>The civic body's Chief Commissioner, Tushar Girinath, stipulated this at a meeting called in Malleswaram by pro-Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), which has launched an aggressive campaign to promote the use of Kannada. </p><p>Despite Bengaluru's emergence as a cosmopolitan city, Kannada remains an emotive issue for many residents, who argue that the language must take pride of place in India's IT Capital. </p><p>As per state government rules, commercial establishments are required to use Kannada prominently on their name boards. Save for sporadic protests and campaigns by pro-Kannada outfits such as KRV, this rule was seldom enforced strictly. </p><p>But this could change. </p><p>According to Girinath, shops, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the BBMP limits must follow the Kannada name board rule in toto. </p><p>As per a BBMP statement, the civic body will survey all the 1,400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city to identify shops that do not follow the rule. Errant shops will soon be issued notices, specifying February 28, 2024, as the deadline. </p><p>The survey will be monitored by the BBMP's zonal officers, who will face action if they fail to enforce the rule. </p><p>The BBMP will also hold a meeting with mall owners in the city limits and give them 15-20 days to comply with the rule. Mall authorities are to ask all shops on their premises to prominently display Kannada on their name boards or else face legal action. </p><p>While the BBMP didn't specify the legal action, this could mean a fine. </p><p>KRV state president T A Narayana Gowda told DH that they launched the drive after the authorities of a newly opened mall in Hebbal refused to comply with the Kannada rule. The outfit then brought the matter to the BBMP chief's notice, he added.</p>