Parl panel suggests clause to stop returning of awards, govt says no

New Delhi: The Parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism, and culture, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, on Monday raised concerns over India’s cultural institutions and safety standards in adventure tourism. In a report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the panel flagged the return of prestigious awards, especially those conferred by the Sahitya Akademi, over political reasons.

The committee stated that “the return of such awards is disgraceful to the country” and recommended that recipients be required to sign a commitment not to return them for political reasons. The panel also proposed that no awards should be conferred without a commitment from the recipient agreeing to accept it without dishonouring it in future. It also suggested that if an award is returned, the awardee should not be considered for the honour again.

In response, the ministry of culture agreed with the committee’s intention to avoid controversies but expressed concerns about the potential breach of confidentiality in the award selection process. “Obtaining a signed commitment from the writer prior to the award announcement would unfortunately compromise the confidentiality over the selection process,” the ministry said.

The committee also raised issues about the safety standards in adventure tourism, especially in activities such as paragliding and trekking. The committee noted that “3 Gs – Guidelines, Guides, and Gears” are critical for mitigating risks in adventure tourism. This comes in the wake of two paragliding accidents which killed two people in Himachal Pradesh and two in Goa last month.

In response to concerns about unlicensed adventure tour operators, the committee recommended that the ministry implement laws to ensure that only licensed operators follow safety standards. The ministry, however, said that adventure tour operators can obtain recognition through a voluntary scheme, which requires them to specify their specialisation and obtain certifications from specialised organisations.