Section 19 in The West Bengal Preservation Of Historical Monuments And Objects And Excavation Of Archaeological Sites Act, 1957.
19. Power of State Government to notify areas as State-protected archaeological sites.
(1)If the State Government is of opinion that excavation for archaeological purposes in any area should be restricted and regulated in the interests of archaeological research, the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette specifying the boundaries of the area, declare it to be a State-protected archaeological site.(2)From the date of such notification all antiquities buried in such site shall be in the possession of, and vest in, the State Government subject to the payment of due compensation to the owner; but in all other respects the rights of any owner or occupier of land in such site shall not be affected except that he shall not be allowed to change the character of the State-protected archaeological site.
