Thiruvananthapuram: Govt offices in the state will have to give up red ink and every colour except blue and black in official correspondence, with chief secretary Bishwanath Sinha directing that all future govt printing conform to a uniform colour code.The directive covers “govt letterheads, forms, booklets, notifications, communications and other official printed materials”, which should be printed only in blue or black ink. The order follows govt taking note that official material was still being produced in other colours. All fresh printing orders will have to comply, while existing stocks can be used until exhausted.But a detail on the chief secretary’s own letterhead makes the otherwise routine colour directive noteworthy. The circular, dated Aug 29, was issued on an existing letterhead carrying the name “Kerala”, with the old name changed by hand to “Keralam” at two places.It appears to be one of the earliest visible examples of a govt communication putting into practice the handwritten-correction method prescribed for the Kerala-to-Keralam transition.Govt had, in another circular issued a few hours earlier, directed that the change of the state’s name in all official communication and records should not lead to the wholesale discarding of usable stationery and other material. Existing letterheads, envelopes, forms, registers, files, publications and other printed stationery bearing “Kerala” are to be used until exhausted, with the name corrected wherever necessary.The same principle applies to seals, rubber stamps, name boards and signboards. Wherever practicable, “Kerala” can be modified to “Keralam” rather than replacing the entire item.Govt has also ruled out premature replacement of furniture, vehicles, equipment and other govt property merely because they carry the old name. Such items can be replaced when they reach the end of their useful life or require replacement for other administrative reasons, with “Keralam” used on the replacement.
