No person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be prescribed.

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(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules in respect of all or any of the matters referred to in section 3.

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(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--

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(a) the standards of quality of air, water or soil for various areas and purposes;

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(b) the maximum allowable limits of concentration of various environmental pollutants (including noise) for different areas;

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(c) the procedures and safeguards for the handling of hazardous substances;

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(d) the prohibition and restrictions on the handling of hazardous substances in different areas;

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(e) the prohibition and restrictions on the location of industries and the carrying on of processes and operations in different areas;

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(f) the procedures and safeguards for the prevention of accidents which may cause environmental pollution and for providing for remedial measures for such accidents.

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(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

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(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--

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(a) the standards in excess of which environmental pollutants shall not be discharged or emitted under section 7;

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(b) the procedure in accordance with and the safeguards in compliance with which hazardous substances shall be handled or cause to be handled under section 8;

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(c) the authorities or agencies to which intimation of the fact of occurrence or apprehension of occurrence of the discharge of any environmental pollutant in excess of the prescribed standards shall be given and to whom all assistance shall be bound to be rendered under sub-section (1) of section 9;

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(d) the manner in which samples of air, water, soil or other substance for the purpose of analysis shall be taken under sub-section (1) of section 11;

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(e) the form in which notice of intention to have a sample analysed shall be served under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 11;

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(f) the functions of the environmental laboratories, the procedure for the submission to such laboratories of samples of air, water, soil and other substances for analysis or test; the form of laboratory report; the fees payable for such report and other matters to enable such laboratories to carry out their functions under sub-section (2) of section 12;

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(g) the qualifications of Government Analyst appointed or recognised for the purpose of analysis of samples of air, water, soil or other substances under section 13;

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¹[(ga) the manner of holding inquiry and imposing penalty by the adjudicating officer under sub-section (1) and other factors for determining quantum of penalty under clause (f) of sub-section (4) of section 15C;

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(gb) the other amount under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 16;

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(gc) the other purposes under clause (c) of sub-section (3) of section 16;

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(gd) the manner of administration of Fund under sub-section (4) of section 16;

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(ge) form for maintenance of accounts of the Fund and for preparation of annual statement of accounts under sub-section (1) of section 16A;

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(gf) form for preparing annual report of the Fund under section 16B;]

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(h) the manner in which notice of the offence and of the intention to make a complaint to the Central Government shall be given under clause (b) of section 19;

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(i) the authority or officer to whom any reports, returns, statistics accounts and other information shall be furnished under section 20;

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(j) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed.

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