Affix Odia signboard or cough up Rs 25000 fine, Odisha govt warns business establishments 

Business establishments, shops and institutions violating the Odia signboard norm in the State will now have to pay a hefty penalty as the State government has decided to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against the offenders.

As part of the special drive, which began in May this year, the offender will be served a show-cause notice and have to pay Rs 5,000 fine in the court of a judicial magistrate in the first instance. If the violator flouts the norm for the second time, s/he will be slapped with a Rs 25000 fine.

As many as eight business establishments have been issued show-cause notices in Bhubaneswar, while the same has been issued to 148 institutions in Khordha in the last two months, sources informed.

According to sources, while 61 establishments immediately changed their signboards and affixed Odia nameplates, cases were lodged against six institutions for violating the norm despite several notices.

“We noticed even after several meetings with the stakeholders, the implementation of Odia signboard rule has not yielded satisfactory results. So, we have launched an enforcement drive. We are hopeful that all institutions will have Odia signboards soon,” said Dilip Routray, Director of Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department.

“We have issued show-cause notices to 148 institutions. While 61 of them complied with the notices, DPR has been filed against six institutions in the court. The special drive is underway,” said Rashmita Patra, assistant labour officer.

Notably, the Odisha Legislative Assembly had passed the Orissa Shops and Commercial Establishments (OS&CE Amendment) Bill 2018 in May 2018, making Odia language mandatory on signboards of shops and business establishments in the State.