WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1984
14
RADIATION MONITORING SCHEME PLANNED
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A RADIATION MONITORING PROGRAMME WILL BE ESTABLISHED LATER THIS YEAR, SAID THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR JACOBS WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO WHO ASKED WHAT ARRANGEMENTS THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE TO MONITOR AND GUARD AGAINST POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS ARISING FROM THE PROPOSED NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN GUANGDONG.
+THE DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY HAS MADE PROPOSALS FOR A RADIATION MONITORING PROGRAMME, SAID MR JACOBS. +THIS PROGRAMME IS DESIGNED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE TO ESTABLISH DATA ON EXISTING BACKGROUND RADIATING LEVELS IN HONG KONG. THE DATA WILL THEN SERVE AS A POINT OF REFERENCE AGAINST WHICH FUTURE CHANGES IN LEVELS OF RADIATION CAN BE MEASURED.
+ IT IS INTENDED THAT THE PROGRAMME WILL COMMENCE LATER THIS YEAR. A REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL PROVISION AND THE NECESSARY STAFF IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION. +
MR JACOBS SAID THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN COOPERATIVE WITH REGARD TO RADIATION MONITORING.
ON GUARDING AGAINST POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS, HE SAID THE SITE WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE, AND THE DAYA BAY SITE IS AT A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER DISTANCE THAN THE DISTANCE SEPARATING MANY SIMILAR POWER STATIONS ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD FROM POPULATION CENTRES.
FURTHER PROTECTION FOR HONG KONG'S POPULATION WILL BE FOUND IN THE SAFEGUARDS BUILT INTO THE STATION ITSELF, HE SAID. THE COMPANY CHOSEN FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN HAS MUCH EXPERIENCE AND THERE IS NO REASON TO SUPPOSE THE STATION WILL BE BUILT OTHERWISE THAN TO THE HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS.
+HONG KONG INTERESTS WILL PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN PLANNING AND DESIGN AND AFTER CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO SUPPLIERS, SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED IN RELATION TO SIMILAR REACTORS ELSEWHERE AND MEASURES APPROPRIATE IN RELATION TO DAYA BAY WILL BE STUDIED.+