WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1983
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THE UNOFFICIALS WORKING GROUP WERE CONCERNED THAT. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OVERALL MONITORING OF EMISSIONS, ACTION UNDER THE ABATEMENT PROVISIONS WOULD IN PRACTICE BE TAKEN MAINLY, IF NOT SOLELY, ON THE BASIS OF COMPLAINTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, MR CHEONG SAID.
BUT HE NOTED THAT THE COMPLAINANT DID NOT NEED TO PRODUCE FACTUAL EVIDENCE OR PROVE ANY DAMAGE.
+THE RESULT MAY BE THAT CONTROL WILL PROBABLY BE APPLIED UNEVENLY AND HAPHAZARDLY, AND THAT ACTION MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST VERY MINOR OFFENDERS BUT NO ATTENTION PAID TO MAJOR OFFENDERS, + HE SAID.
MR CHEONG MENTIONED CLAUSE 46 OF THE BILL IN THE PUBLISHED FORM WHICH ALLOWED A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FOR THE LAYING OF A COMPLAINT OR INFORMATION FROM THE TIME THEY ARISE; AND FURTHER ALLOWED A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS FROM THE TIME OF THE COMMISSION OF AN OFFENCE.
HE CONSIDERED THE PERIOD FAR TOO LONG EFFECTIVELY FOR THE AUTHORITY TO GATHER INFORMATION ON THE OFFENCE WHICH MIGHT LEAD ONE TO MISINTERPRET THAT THE ADMINISTRATION LACKED EFFICIENCY IN ITS ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
HE WAS GRATEFUL THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS AGREED TO AMEND THE CLAUSE AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO THE EFFECT THAT THE PERIODS BE REDUCED BY HALF, TO SIX MONTHS AND ONE YEAR RESPECTIVELY.
MR CHEONG ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S INABILITY TO CLEARLY INFORM THE PUBLIC THE RELEVANT FACTS AND FIGURES CONCERNING AIR POLLUTION IN HONG KONG,
HE SAID WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE CURRENT LEVELS OF POLLUTION ARE AND WHAT LEVEL OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE OR NOT, ANY MEANINGFUL PLAN ENVISAGED MUST BE THEORETICAL TO A GREAT EXTENT.+
CITING INFORMATION WHICH ADVISED THAT SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION IN HONG KONG CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO MOVABLE SOURCES (SUCH AS MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFTS) AND STATIONARY CULPRITS (SUCH AS FACTORIES AND INCINERATORS) APPROXIMATELY IN A PROPORTION OF 6:4, MR CHEONG SAID, IT WOULD BE LOGICAL TO ASSUME THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF HAVING CLEANER AIR FOR HONG KONG CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH TAKING A COMBINATION OF MEASURES AGAINST BOTH MOVABLE AS WELL AS STATIONARY SOURCES OF POLLUTION.+
BUT HE EXPECTED THAT COST IMPLICATIONS TO THE COMMUN I TY WOULD BE CAREFULLY ANALYSED.
+LET US NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT OUR SURVIVAL IS VERY MUCH DEPENDENT ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN CONTINUE OUR PROGRESS ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT, HE ADDED.
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