Madikeri: Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmi Priya directed the officials of Kushalnagar Taluk Panchayat and Suntikoppa Gram Panchayat to remove the advertisement boards/display boards which are not in Kannada language, here on Tuesday, July 1.
Speaking to media about the move, Executive Officer of Kushalnagar Taluk Panchayat, Sunil said, “According to the norms of the state government, about 60 percent of space shall be allotted to Kannada language in any hoardings and billboards. Rest 40 percent can be any language. But, it was observed that the advertising companies and shop owners were neglecting the norms and were giving importance to languages other than Kannada. Due to this, we have directed the officials to remove such advertising boards.”
He also said that the license of shop owners will be cancelled if they don’t adhere by norms.
Meanwhile, Suntikoppa Gram Panchayat President Rosemary Rodrigues informed, “Shop owners who neglect this rule will be fined Rs 500 at first and still if the same attitude continues, the shop license will be cancelled.”
Earlier, in the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting, President of Kodagu District Kannada Sahitya Parishat B S Lokeshsagar had raised objection in this regard. Based on this, the CEO of ZP had ordered the Executive Officer (EO) of Taluk Panchayat to look into the matter. Today, the EO directed the officials to discard the advertisement boards which were not in Kannada on Kushalnagar-Madikeri state highway and different areas of Hosakote and Suntikoppa.
