DCs directed to monitor use of Kannada in nameplates: Min. Shivaraj Tangadagi
Belagavi: Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Friday said that all Deputy Commissioners in Karnataka have been instructed to ensure strict implementation of the rule mandating 60 percent Kannada on the nameplates of commercial and public establishments.
Responding to Congress member Dr. Umashree in the Legislative Council, the minister said the requirement is part of Section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022. The rule applies to commercial, industrial and business enterprises, trusts, counselling centres, hospitals, laboratories, entertainment centres, hotels and all institutions operating with government or local body approval.
Shivaraj Tangadagi said the responsibility for enforcing the rule lies with the Deputy Commissioners, who have already been directed to act under the provisions of the Act. He clarified that the implementation is a continuous process, and the question of incompleteness does not arise.
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As per Rule 23 of the Act, establishments that fail to follow the nameplate requirement will face a fine of Rs 5,000 for the first offence, Rs 10,000 for the second offense, and Rs 20,000 for every subsequent offence. Repeated violations may also lead to cancellation of the business license.
The minister added that the government has made the 60 percent Kannada nameplate rule mandatory within a month.
To ensure compliance, a special task force has been constituted in eight zones and district centres of Bengaluru to monitor establishments and take action where required.
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Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
