HYDERABAD: Usage of Telugu for official business in all Government departments was imperative to save the language, the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Official Language Commission A.B.K. Prasad said here on Thursday. "In fact, it should be taken up as a social obligation by every officer."

Speaking at a review meeting of officials of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medak and Mahabubnagar on the usage of Telugu in Government offices, he lamented that Telugu did not get the prominence it deserved even 40 years after a law was enacted for the purpose. He blamed the inaction of successive Governments for the plight of Telugu in the State today.

Looking up

Mr. Prasad, however, said things were looking up and there was a discernible change in the approach of officials over the last one year. A series of awareness programmes were held in 14 districts and the winds of change were blowing there.

Explaining the changes, he said courts too had started delivering judgements in Telugu. Eighteen such judgements were brought out in the form of a booklet and sent to various courts to encourage judges deliver verdicts in Telugu only.

He said Nizamabad district stood first in the State in usage of Telugu with 98 per cent of official work now being transacted in Telugu. In fact, 30 offices were now using Telugu for their entire official business. He pointed out that mandal level officials were showing genuine interest for safeguarding the language than their higher-ups at the district-level.

Review committees

He wanted the new members of the review committees to visit mandals allotted to them and ensure implementation of Telugu. Work at the Collector's office should also be reviewed at least once a week.

Ranga Reddy Collector L. Prem Chandra Reddy assured that officials would be sensitised on the benefits of using Telugu for official work and efforts made to improve the usage.

Kaaluva Mallaiah and Chandrashekhara Reddy, Commission members, reminded that people can express themselves better in their mother tongue and using English for official purposes was only leading to glaring mistakes in official documents.

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