Section 12. Environmental laboratories

12. Environmental laboratories.— (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, — (a) establish one or more environmental laboratories; (b) recognise one or more laboratories or institutes as environmental laboratories to carry out the functions entrusted to an environmental laboratory under this Act. (2) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules specifying — (a) the functions of the environmental laboratory; (b) the procedure for the submission to the said laboratory of samples of air, water, soil or other substance for analysis or tests, the form of the laboratory report thereon and the fees payable for such report; (c) such other matters as may be necessary or expedient to enable that laboratory to carry out its functions. — 13. Government Analysts. The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint or recognise such persons as it thinks fit and having the prescribed qualifications to be Government Analysts for the purpose of analysis of samples of air, water, soil or other substance sent for analysis to any environmental laboratory established or recognised under sub-section (1) of section 12. — 14. Reports of Government Analysts. Any document purporting to be a report signed by a Government Analyst may be used as evidence of the facts stated therein in any proceeding under this Act.