PATNA, May 27 -- The first evidence of a structure having rooms with an attached bathroom, discovered during the excavation of Chirand in Saran district of Bihar during 1961-71, has been destroyed for want of conservation. Likewise, archaeological remains of a university, older than the historic Nalanda University, at Telhara in Nalanda is getting dismantled for want of proper care. Remains of a Buddhist monastery, artifacts and evidence of settlements from the Neolithic to the Pala periods, yielded during excavation of Taradih archaeological site in Bodh Gaya, is also disappearing. Archaeologists say these are a few of the 54 archaeological sites and heritage structures, declared 'protected' by the state government, that can redefine the history of Bihar, if excavated and conserved properly. However, almost all archaeological sites and heritage buildings of the state are getting ruined in the absence of dedicated and qualified officials and staff with the directorate of archaeology, a wing of the state art and culture department. In the absence of a technical person, the post of director, archaeology, is being manned by an IAS officer since the retirement of Atul Kumar Verma in 2019. The person appointed as the director is required to be an MA in ancient Indian history & archaeology with a PG diploma in archaeology. The post of conservator has been vacant for decades. Although two engineers were appointed in the directorate, they were never engaged in conservation of heritage structures. Former director, archaeology and museums, Bihar government, Atul Verma said the department must take urgent initiatives to conserve the protected sites, lest it would destroy glorious historical evidence of Bihar, which are yet to be explored. "Illustrious cultural excellence of Bihar, evident from archaeological remains, would be wiped out if the government remains indifferent towards its heritage," said another retired director of archaeology. Remains of Hazarimal Dharmshala in Bettiah, where Mahatma Gandhi had got the pledge from farmers to launch Champaranay Satyagraha in 1917, about 2,300-year-old Ahilya Asthan Mandir in Darbhanga, Arrah House of Veer Kunwar Singh in Maharaja College campus of Bhojpur, a mausoleum of Alawal Khan in Sasaram, Nepali Mandir, Hajipur, George Orwel's house in Motihari, are also getting dismantled in the absence of conservation. A section of the officials said the art and culture department had been handled in the most casual manner by the state government. Current secretary of the department Pranav Kumar and director, museums and archaeology, Rachan Patil, seldom attend their offices, as they have been given additional charges of two other departments. "First of all, they are not technical officials, as per the requirement of posts. Archaeology department does not have adequate and technically qualified staff. And for every small thing, it requires the files to be approved by the secretary," said a former director. Several attempts made to connect to the secretary and the director in the past three days to solicit their comments could not materialise....