Ludhiana, May 19 -- Punjab's 94 protected monuments are being maintained by only 28 staff members, exposing a deepening crisis in state's efforts to preserve its historical legacy. The figures were disclosed in response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by activist and educator Amandeep Singh from Malerkotla. The data reveals that of the 78 sanctioned posts in the department of archaeology, archives and museums, 50 remain vacant - including all posts for conservators and assistant conservators, who are crucial to the upkeep of heritage structures. Besides, of the 21 posts of monument attendants, 12 are vacant; 16 of 30 gardener posts remain unfulfilled; and 18 of 23 gatekeeper positions lie unoccupied. There has been no sanctioned post for outsourced help or for an archaeology in-charge, according to the RTI reply. Experts warn that without adequate manpower, the deterioration of protected sites is inevitable. The crisis is particularly visible in districts like Ludhiana, which has 12 protected monuments, including the Mughal Sarai in Doraha, Anglo-Sikh War Memorial in Aliwal, and ancestral homes of freedom fighters Lala Lajpat Rai, Kartar Singh Sarabha and Sukhdev Thapar. Tribhuvan Thapar, a relative of Sukhdev Thapar, said only one monument attendant has been assigned to the freedom fighter's ancestral home. "That staff member was appointed just a few months ago. No one else has been deployed to maintain the site," he said. The situation is similar across Punjab. Patiala tops the list with 21 protected monuments, followed by Amritsar with eight. Mandeep Kaur, superintendent of the department of tourism and archaeology, said steps are being taken to address the crisis. "We held a recruitment exam on May 15 for positions like curator, deputy curator, and archaeological officer. Another exam is scheduled for May 28 to fill posts such as conservator, assistant conservator, and assistant archaeological engineer," she said. "The monuments are living testimonies of our shared past. Neglecting them is like erasing our identity," activist Amandeep Singh said....