WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1983
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PLANS TO FIGHT NT WATER POLLUTION
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNISED THE PROBLEM OF POLLUTION TO THE STREAMS AND RIVERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES BY SETTING UP A CENTRAL STEERING GROUP TO CO-ORDINATE REMEDIAL ACTION.
THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID THIS TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHAN YING-LUN.
MR CHAN WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS BEING DONE TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF POLLUTION IN STREAMS IN THE TAI PO AREA, PARTICULARLY AS THESE STREAMS ALL RUN INTO TOLO CHANNEL WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED A WATER CONTROL ZONE UNDER THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE.
MR BARNES SAID THAT IN RECOGNITION OF THE POLLUTION PROBLEM WITH STREAMS AND RIVERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, INCLUDING THOSE AROUND TAI PO, A CENTRAL STEERING GROUP ON WATERCOURSE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN SET UP.
+THE FIRST TASK OF THE GROUP HAS BEEN TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY AREAS, HE SAID.
+FIVE RIVERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED INCLUDING THE LAM TSUEN RIVER, WHICH RUNS INTO TOLO HARBOUR THROUGH TAI PO, AND THE SHING MUN RIVER, WHICH ALSO ENTERS THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL ZONE AT SHA TIN.+
PLANS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THESE WATERCOURSES ARE BEING STUDIED, HE SAID. THESE WILL COVER MATTERS SUCH AS THE CONTROL OF POLLUTION DISCHARGES. TOGETHER WITH REMEDIAL MEASURES, SUCH AS DESILTING AND DREDGING, REFUSE CLEARANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE FLOW.
IN ADDITION LEGISLATIVE MEASURES ARE BEING DEVELOPED.
+REGULATIONS UNDER THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE TO CONTROL DISCHARGES INTO THE WATER CONTROL ZONE ARE BEING PREPARED AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE PUT BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1984, + SAID MR BARNES.
+THESE WILL BE AIMED INITIALLY AT DISCHARGES FROM INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES. COMPLEMENTARY CONTROLS ON THE DISPOSAL OF AGRICULTURAL WASTES ARE ALSO BEING DEVELOPED.+
THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED UPON A MAJOR PROGRAMME FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS AT SHA TIN AND TAI PO, HE SAID.
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