HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL —
-2 November 1988 香港立法局
一九八八年十一月二日
41
The Government is aware of the desirability of extending assistance to a wider sector of the public and is conscious of the rising cost of litigation. A review of the limit of eligibility is planned to take place again before the end of this year.
Pollution in the Ho Chung River
12. 譚耀宗議員問:政府可否告知本局最近西貢蠔涌發生小學生吸入不明氣體事件的成因;而 這事件是否與工業廢料排放入蠔涌河有關?若然,政府會採取什麼步驟去處理這個環境污染問題
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SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS: Sir, although officers of the Environmental Protection Department were on the scene within 45 minutes of receiving a report, they were unable to define the cause of this incident, because when the area was inspected, no strange smells were detected. We cannot therefore say whether the incident was connected with the dumping of industrial waste into the Ho Chung River, or indeed from nearby streams polluted by livestock wastes.
However, Members may be interested to know that of the four factories which have polluted the Ho Chung River for many years, two have ceased operation as a result of lease enforcement action. The other two factories have installed treatment plants, and when these are operating properly, and after proposals for preventing the colouring of the river water have been carried out, pollution in the Ho Chung River will be reduced to an acceptable level.
Government Business
First Reading of Bills
COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1988
INLAND REVENUE (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1988
MOTOR VEHICLES (FIRST REGISTRATION TAX) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988
Bills read the First time and ordered to be set down for Second Reading pursuant to Standing Order 41(3).