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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976
CONTROLS AGAINST LITTERING OF N.T. PICNIC SPOTS
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS- JONES, SAID TODAY THAT LEGAL CONTROLS AGAINST THE LITTERING OF SCENIC SPOTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE ADEQUATE, BUT PROBLEMS EXISTED IN ENFORCEMENT AND THE ORGANISATION OF LITTER COLLECTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORE INACCESSIBLE AREAS.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID THE PRESENT SITUATION WOULD IMPROVE AS MORE RESOURCES WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AND URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.
REPLYING TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FEEL SATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT CONTROL OVER LITTERING KNOWING HOW COVERED WITH LITTER ARE SOME OF OUR MOST BEAUTIFUL PICNIC SPOTS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT NT PICNIC SPOTS FELL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES - THE FIRST BEING THE PICNIC AND BARBECUE FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AS PART OF THE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME.
+THESE HEAVILY USED SITES ARE CLEANED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER EACH WEEKEND, AND THINK THAT HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL AGREE GENERALLY THAT A GOOD JOB IS BEING DONE,+ HE SAID.
+AS THE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME PROCEEDS, MORE AREAS WILL BE COVERED IN THIS WAY, PARTICULARLY IN THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA, WHERE TWO MANAGEMENT CENTRES, EACH WITH A STAFF OF 36, ARE TO BE OPENED IN 1977.+
OTHER AREAS OF CROWN LAND NOT IN THE COUNTRY PARKS WERE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT NEW TERRITORIES DIVISION, WHICH HAD 27 WORK GANGS GIVING COVER TO THE MORE ACCESSIBLE PICNIC SPOTS.
BUT AT THE MOMENT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT STAFF TO DEPLOY IN AREAS INACCESSIBLE BY ROAD BUT ADDITIONAL GANGS WERE BEING SOUGHT IN NEXT YEAR'S ESTIMATES TO EXTEND THIS WORK.
MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE THIRD CATEGORY CONSISTED OF PRIVATE LAND, MUCH OF IT ABANDONED PADDY, WHICH WAS ALSO EXTENSIVELY USED FOR PICNICKING AND CAMPING, AND WHERE CLEANSING STAFF CARRIED OUT 'LITTER RAIDS' FROM TIME TO TIME ON INDIVIDUAL BLACK SPOTS.
HE CONCLUDED: THE LEGAL CONTROLS AGAINST LITTERING ARE ADEQUATE THE PROBLEM IS LARGELY ONE OF ENFORCEMENT, AND THE ORGANISATION OF LITTER COLLECTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORE INACCESSIBLE AREAS.
+ THE SITUATION WILL IMPROVE AS MORE RESOURCES ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AND URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.
+BUT HOW MUCH EASIER THE TASK WOULD BE IF THOSE VISITING THE COUNTRYSIDE WOULD PUT IT IN THE BIN' OR 'TAKE IT AWAY'.
+1 AM SURE LEADERS OF ORGANISED PARTIES, SCHOOL TEACHERS AND MANY OTHERS COULD DO MUCH MORE TO GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS.+
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