Navi Mumbai: In a bid to uphold the cultural integrity of the region, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken strict action against 1163 shops and establishments across four wards for failing to display Marathi nameplates. The deadline for compliance with this directive, outlined in Section 36 'C' of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Amendment Act 2022, was November 25.
According to the Act, all commercial entities, including shops, institutions, residential hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, are required to prominently display their nameplates in the Marathi language using the Devanagari script.
The move comes as a result of instructions from the municipal commissioner, Ganesh Deshmukh, who directed the issuance of notices to establishments without the prescribed Marathi nameplates in all four wards of the PMC.
Shops and establishments directed to display Marathi nameplates
To ensure widespread awareness, the civic body has employed a moving announcement system, notifying businesses about the mandatory use of Marathi nameplates and the consequences of non-compliance. The local ward officers are actively surveying establishments that have not yet made the necessary changes and are issuing notices accordingly.
The enforcement process commenced on the evening of November 25, with 1163 shops and establishments in A, B, C, and D wards receiving notices. Deputy Commissioner Ganesh Shete convened a meeting with all ward officers on November 24, providing instructions for further action in this regard.
FPJ
Shops violated PMC's enforcement regulation
Despite the existence of nameplates in English and other languages in the PMC area, several establishments have flouted the regulation by either not displaying Marathi nameplates or doing so in a perfunctory manner. The PMC emphasizes that Marathi nameplates must be in bold (Devanagari) script and should not be smaller than those in any other language.
The PMC, through its ward officers, has issued notices to non-compliant establishments as of November 25, and the process is set to continue until all businesses conform to the Marathi nameplate requirement.
