CHENNAI: Several pro-Tamil outfits have appealed to the State government to impose a fine on the establishments and shops flouting the mandatory rule to exhibit their names in Tamil in order to strictly enforce the provisions of Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1947.
The Act mandates that Tamil should be in prominence in the signboards followed by English or other languages.
Earlier, in 2010, the Chennai Corporation had issued deadline for compliance and undertook a drive against non-compliance. The signboards of scores of establishments were removed, forcing them to put up new ones according prominence to Tamil. However, as the drive has lost its steam, pro-Tamil outfits demand that the State government should follow the lead shown by Karnataka government.
The Kannada development department has appointed an IAS officer to monitor exhibition of names in Kannada those flouting the rule are fined Rs 5,000.
“Numerous new establishments that crop up daily seldom comply with this mandate,” criticised a release issued by Tamil outfits.
Tamilar Panpattu Natuvam (Centre for Tamils’ Culture) secretary Rajkumar Palanichamy said that they have appealed to the State to consider imposition of fine. “It has to be looked upon as a socio-economic step. When you insist Tamil to be present in the signboards, it will have ramifications at various levels in the socio-economic system. Strict enforcement would mean a tangible step towards making Tamil a necessity, to climb up the ladder of leadership in both public and private sectors. Therefore, we request the State to consider our plea to impose fine besides strict enforcement,” he said.