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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese): --The answer is positive. The members were selected from the Urban Services Department and after training they started their job in August last year.
MR. HENRY HU (In English):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would ask how many Litter Wardens have we now?
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese): -Up to the present, we have 150 members, but the Council has decided that the number should be increased by another 150. We have advertised for new recruits and I hope, and believe, that in the near future we can have the new recruits.
MR. HENRY HU (In English):—Mr. Chairman, I would ask the last supplementary. Could Dr. HUANG tell us what was the $9 million mainly spent on.
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese): The money includes publicity cost, which was something like $800,000, the mobilization of some 1,000 members to whom we had to pay overtime and the renting of some 200 trucks to remove junk.
MISS L. Y. YEUNG (In Cantonese):-I would like to know whether the money paid to the Litter Wardens is included in that amount?
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese):-The pay to the Litter Wardens is included in the U.S.D. Budget and their work is continuous, that means the 300 Litter Wardens will be permanent members of the U.S.D. and will be included in our annual budget. That means when we continue our Campaign we have the money to pay them and I think our Campaign will be continuous.
(6) DR. WONG PUN-CHEUK asked the following question (In English):-
"Can the present refuse collecting system be improved?" As it is now, it is found that the refuse-collecting baskets are gathered in a space too near residences over night. To give an example, about seventy such baskets were left over night (May 26, 73) at one end of Man Wan Road only about thirty feet away from blocks of residential flats. Not until 2 p.m. next, U.S.D. Staff came and removed a "No Parking" sign and then walked away. At 3.50 p.m. a refuse-collecting car came and remained there until 5.30 p.m. (approximate 2 hours) with the engine on.
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DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (In Cantonese):
There is, of course, always room for improvement and our present refuse collection system is no exception. It is unfortunate that the development of high-rise buildings has not made it possible to affect door-to-door collection and we have to resort to collection points. Such points are always likely to give offence, but we can do more, and are taking steps to do more, to reduce such offence to a minimum. We cannot, of course, overcome the proximity of such points to residential blocks, as it will be appreciated that residents may, then not deliver refuse to the points but may, instead, leave it in the streets.
As regards the collection point at Man Wan Road, Members will wish to know that, in fact, this temporary off-street collection point was established in January 1973 to replace the on-street point immediately adjacent to Harrison Court, which had generally been considered to be a nuisance to near-by residents while obstructing pedestrians and traffic alike. The existing temporary off-street point, on the other hand, is partly screened off from the public view by wooden boards and is situated in an open space at the foot of a hill, separated by roads on either side from residential buildings. Our refuse collection vehicle is scheduled to call at this point twice daily at approximately 11 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. to remove in the region of 220 baskets of refuse and the place is washed down after each collection. No refuse is allowed to remain overnight at this point. Empty baskets are however stacked up inside the refuse collection point after use. In the absence of a more suitable site in the vicinity, consideration is being given to converting this point into a permanent refuse collection point, if possible, to be completely roofed-over, as part of our long-term improvements. Meanwhile, every effort will be made by the department to maintain the point in a clean and tidy condition, and to ensure that collections are effected promptly and efficiently.
However, on the day referred to in the question, the Refuse Collection Vehicle serving the Man Wan point broke down. This resulted in the refuse collected in the morning having to be stored in the refuse collection point.
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