THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1981
8
ENVIRONMENTAL BODY GROWING IN IMPORTANCE
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THE ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM) WILL BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR DEREK JONES SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING TO THE FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF EPCOM, HE SAID IT WAS CLEARLY SPECIFIED IN EACH NEW ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ORDINANCE THAT EPCOM MUST BE CONSULTED AT EACH STAGE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
A NETWORK OF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES WITHIN EPCOM FRAMEWORK HAD BEEN GRADUALLY ESTABLISHED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND IT BROUGHT TO BEAR ON ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEM A WIDE RANGE OF ADVICE EXPERTISE AND DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW REPRESENTED BY THE MEMBERS OF EACH COMMITTEE, HE SAID.
+AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT ENSURES THAT NO PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND NO REGULATION CAN GO FORWARD WITHOUT BEING PROPERLY DISCUSSED IN BOTH THE RELEVANT SPECIAL COMMITTEE AND IN THE MAIN EPCOM. + SAID MR JONES.
+ IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A FIRST CLASS WAY TO EXPOSE THE COSTS AND THE BENEFITS OF ANY NEW PROPOSAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE HONG KONG METHOD OF CONSULTATION AND DISCUSSION BETWEEN ALL THE INTERESTS INVOLVED, HE ADDED.
MR JONES POINTED OUT THAT A THREE STRANDED SYSTEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WAS BEING BUILT UP, EACH INTERTWINED WITH THE OTHER TWO AND THE WHOLE OF WHICH OPERATED AS A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES.
+THE FIRST STRAND IS LEGISLATION, HE EXPLAINED, AND THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ORDINANCES.+
+TOGETHER THEY WILL ENCOMPASS VIRTUALLY EVERY ASPECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND YET FLEXIBLE WAY.
THE WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE AND THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE HAVE PASSED INTO LAW. AND WORK IS NOW PROCEEDING TO PUT SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THESE TWO ORDINANCES INTO FORCE.
THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL BILL IS NOW IN ITS FINAL DRAFT STAGE, AND THE NOISE CONTROL BILL IS BEING DRAFTED, THE PREPARATION OF THE LATTER IS EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE IN THE COMING MONTHS.
+THE FIFTH, DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENT IMPACT STATEMENTS, WILL BE COMING FORWARD IN DUE COURSE, MR JONES SAID.
HE SAID THE SECOND STRAND WAS THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS LEGISLATION, AND FORMULATING POLICY PROPOSALS, NAMELY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, AND THE CONTROL AUTHOR ITIES IN DEPARTMENTS.
THE AGENCY'S CURRENT ESTABLISHMENT INCLUDES ABOUT 30 PROFESSIONAL POSTS AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO SOME 60 OR 70 OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
/+RECRUITMENT OF