In a major drive, the labour department has made it mandatory for shops and commercial establishments to display the name boards prominently in Telugu.
Further, the department will slap notices against big shopping malls in Greater Hyderabad limits, directing them to display their establishment’s name in Telugu on boards.
By Ugadi, all shops should prominently display the sign boards in Telugu under Section 29 (13) of Hyderabad municipal Act, failing which action would be initiated under section 61 (2).
Addressing a press conference here Wednesday, labour commissioner B Ramanjaneyulu said the department has decided to act strictly against erring shop owners. There was lukewarm response earlier when the notices were issued.
Initially, it will slap notices to as many as 150 big shopping malls in the city from this week and ask them to display the name boards, giving them a weeks time.
“Displaying of names prominently in Telugu is a legal aspect. The name of the shops in Telugu are inscribed somewhere in a corner, and it is not as prominently displayed as the English name,” he said.
Senior officials will routinely inspect establishments and check the implementation of the orders, he said.
Shop-owners can indicate names of their establishments in other languages like English, Hindi as second/third options.