Page 605 of 606
Page 605 of 606
• 01 606
588
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
that the shark prevention nets of the beach had been damaged by typhoon and emergency repair work was in progress. Announcements were also broadcasted continuously through the public address system (PA system) to remind swimmers to be more careful. Upon completion of the repair work, the warning notices were removed and the broadcast announcements stopped. This was already an indication that it was safe for the people to swim at the beaches concerned. Therefore, no special publicity was arranged after the repair work was completed.
The second part of the question enquires whether the Department has considered making improvements to address the problem of water at PUC beaches being polluted by litter and silt which are carried there by rainwater after rainstorms, and whether the Department has requested the DSD to improve the stormwater drainage system in order to maintain good water quality at the beaches.
In a bid to prevent litter and silt from being carried from the roads to the beaches by rainwater and pollute the water at the beaches, the Department has stepped up the cleansing work of nearby roads. Apart from sweeping the roads once daily (roads with heavy traffic would be swept twice daily), the roadside drainage is also cleared regularly (once in about 3 weeks). Besides, liaison meetings are held between the Department's Environmental Health (EH) Branch and the Highways Department and the DSD on a regular basis, in particular before the rainy season, to discuss issues relating to cleaning up of the rubbish and silt left on the road and in the stormwater drainage system.
The third part of the question asks whether the Department has taken any measures to provide against any accident to citizens when they flock to the beaches to watch waves or even risk going into the water in pursuit of excitement when typhoon signal number 8 is hoisted. It also asks how the Department can prevent citizens who are not good at swimming from taking the risk to go into the sea and what appropriate guidance is given to surfers for the sake of their safety.
Once typhoon signal number 8 is hoisted, provision of various services at the beach would cease and the beach staff would go off work and take shelter at a safe place for their own safety. However, before ceasing the provision of services, red flags would be hoisted and warning notices would be displayed on notice boards at the beaches to inform and remind the public that the beaches were not suitable for swimming. For the sake of public safety, lifeguards would also advise the swimmers with the aid of the PA system not to risk going into or getting close to the sea to avoid being swept away by large waves.
MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I have a few follow-up questions. Firstly, after these shark prevention nets have been repaired, has the Council publicized the completion of the repair work through the
Page 605
Page 606
Page 606 of 606