Parliament Panel “Deeply Concerned” Over Work On India's 'Untraceable Monuments'

New Delhi:

The Union Ministry of Culture could manage to provide action taken notes on “only 21 out of the total of 35 recommendations” made in a parliamentary panel report relating to ‘untraceable monuments’, according to an official statement.

The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in its report also expressed a “deep concern and disappointment at this apparent lack of seriousness,” on the part of the ministry in responding to the panel’s recommendations addressing critical issues.

The report ‘Issues relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India’ was presented in both Houses on Friday, according to the the statement issued by the Rajya Sabha secretariat.

The committee in the statement reiterated that the ministry and ASI must “conduct the survey for identifying monuments on priority, in a time-bound manner.” It said that the details and criteria for classification of monuments may also be furnished to the committee.

The committee recommended that the survey results “must be placed in public domain” and include the data relating to expenditure incurred on them and the problems in and around the monuments.

The parliamentary panel noted since the said monuments come under the jurisdiction of the state government, it is recommended that the ministry work in coordination with the state governments to take required action in this instant case.

According to the committee, the report was forwarded to the Ministry of Culture for necessary action on June 15, 2022.

“The ministry not only failed to send an interim reply within the stipulated period of three months but also failed to respond to the multiple reminders issued by the Secretariat throughout 2022 and 2023,” it said.

“…. the Ministry could manage to provide Action Taken Notes (ATNs), on only 21 out of the total of 35 recommendations as contained in the 324th Report, by 4th October, 2023, i.e., after a period of 1 year and 19 days,” the statement said.

The committee said that “disregarding or trivialising” its views undermines the trust, credibility and seriousness of the ministry.
 

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