LAHORE - The Lahore Museum is facing difficulties in protecting its precious collections due to dilapidated condition of the Mughal-era building housing it. Concern multiplies, as the government is reluctant to release funds for preservation of the building that was constructed way back in 1894, The Nation has learnt. The museums building is now unable to bear weather intensity because its wooden roofs have lost their grips due to which one of the galleries of the museum has been closed. The Sikh Gallery became not only a source of irritation for visitors, but also a reason of embarrassment for the administration of the museum when any foreign visitor asked them about its closure. The museum officials informed The Nation that a lot of their collections including paintings dating back to the Mughal, Sikh and British eras, a collection of musical instruments, ancient jewellery, textiles, pottery and armoury had also been stored because they did not have sufficient place for their display. Talking to this scribe, Lahore Museum Director Humera Aslam told that the roofs of the building now needed to be renovated. She said that they had prepared a feasibility report with the help of Ann-Beha, an American firm, regarding improvement, up-gradation and renovation of the building of the museum about a year back. She said another firm M/S Nayyar Ali Dada was also hired which submitted that rough estimate for renovation would be Rs142.20 million. They had written a letter to the Planning and Development Department for conservation and extension of the building a year back and an amount of Rs 21.325 million had been allocated in annual development programme 2010-11 of government of Punjab for priority work, she said and added the government had not release the amount yet. She said further delay could harm the national assets so the government should release funds for renovation work on the building. Some five-year time would be required to complete the project of conservation and renovation of the building, she added. Assistant Director Finance and Accounts Abdullah Tariq said the museum was collectively facing lack of funds. He said about 85 percent of total Rs 33.312 million budget was consumed against salaries of the staffers while more than two millions were used in paying utility bills. He said they had the liability of Rs 0.56 million against petrol and oil which they had consumed for vehicles and generator. He said they had written many times to Finance Department for this but had not received yet the amount to pay their debts.