42
other
measures to deal with smoky vehicles, we should be
able to look forward to still cleaner air.
80.
Meanwhile, the Water Pollution Control programme is
beginning to improve the water quality at our beaches. The
closed because of unacceptable levels of
number of beaches
pollution
was halved this year to three. But we have still
a long way to go. The next stage is to strengthen the Water
This will happen in December,
Pollution Control
Ordinance.
when amendments already passed by this Council will take
effect.
AS a result,
some 11,000 factories will have to
adopt more stringent
anti-pollution
standards, setting up
treatment facilities
where these are necessary.
The
amendments also remove previously
permitted
exemptions,
to
which virtually amounted to a licence to pollute. But that
will not be the end of the story. Further amendments will
be put
this Council next year. We must also press on
with our $14 billion sewage programme. Site investigation
and engineering studies for this have already begun. All
will improve dramatically the quality of
nullahs and streams and, most notably, in our
these measures
water
harbour.
in our
/81. Legislation