15
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1981
MORE THAN 185 AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ALREADY HAD A SUPPLY, HE ADDED.
AS REGARDS WATER, MR BARNES SAID THE MAJORITY OF SQUATTERS HAD REASONABLY RELIABLE MAINS SUPPLY BUT MANY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE IR SUPPLY SYSTEMS IMPROVED AND A VERY SMALL NUMBER WERE SITUATED IN PLACES WHERE IMPROVEMENT WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT.
BUT A SYSTEMATIC PROGRAMME OF PROVISION OF MAINS WATER, MOSTLY THROUGH STANDPIPES, HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT, OVER MANY YEARS AND THIS WOULD CONTINUE.
AS FOR REFUSE COLLECTION, SANITATION AND THE PROVISION OF ACCESS ROADS AND PATHS TO FACILITATE CLEANSING, MR BARNES SAID: + IMPROVEMENT IS MADE DIFFICULT BY THE VERY DISORGANISED NATURE OF SQUATTER AREAS. WHETHER THEY ARE CLOSELY PACKED TOGETHER OR SOMEWHAT SCATTERED, THE SAME QUESTION ARISES WHERE CAN FACILITIES SUCH AS REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS AND TOILETS ACTUALLY BE SITED SO THAT NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE USED BY RESIDENTS. BUT THEY WILL ALSO HAVE REASONABLE ACCESS FOR REFUSE AND NIGHTSOIL COLLECTION.+
FOR THE SAME REASON, SQUATTER AREAS COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT PLACES TO KEEP CLEAN BY SWEEPING, HE SAID.
+
+NEVERTHELESS. AS THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MADE CLEAR TO THE COUNCIL ON APRIL 8, IT IS THE INTENTION TO PROVIDE MORE OF THESE TYPES OF THE FACILITY WHEREVER WE CAN, HE ADDED.
MR BARNES POINTED OUT THE GREATEST CURRENT PROBLEM IN MANY OF THE LONG-STANDING SQUATTER AREAS WAS THAT THE FACILITIES, SUCH AS THEY WERE, HAD BEEN OVER-LOADED BY INCREASES OF POPULATION,
SQUATTER CONTROL OPERATIONS TO BE STEPPED UP
****
PLANS ARE IN HAND TO REINFORCE THE SQUATTER CONTROL EFFORT IN CERTAIN AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE EAST KOWLOON, WHERE SQUATTING PRESSURE IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE.
THIS WAS SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON WONG LAM, ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO CURB ILLEGAL SQUATTING.
HE ADDED: +HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, PRIORITY FOR CONTROL MUST BE GIVEN TO AREAS OF CROWN LAND SCHEDULED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
+SQUATTER CONTROL STAFF PATROL DAILY, INCLUDING WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, WITH A VIEW TO PREVENTING NEW SQUATTING AND DEMOLISHING ANY NEW STRUCTURES DISCOVERED, EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR COMPLETED.
/+WELL OVER