WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1984
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NO REASON TO STOP TSING YI WORKS STUDY
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A CONSULTANTS' STUDY HAD FOUND THAT NO REASON OF PUBLIC SAFETY EXISTED TO HALT THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF TSING YI ISLAND, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY.
THE CONSULTANTS CARRYING OUT THE STUDY HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW POSSIBLE DANGERS FROM LP GAS TANKS, OIL INSTALLATIONS AND TOXIC CHEMICAL WORKS ON TSING YI, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW ON WHETHER THE TSING YI RESIDENTS WERE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED FROM POTENTIAL HAZARDS.
MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE STUDY BY THE CONSULTANTS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE RISKS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR TODAY'S SITUATION ON TSING YI WERE COMPARABLE WITH INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED LEVELS.
HOWEVER, THE CONSULTANTS ALSO SAID THAT THE PROXIMITY OF MAYFAIR GARDENS TO THE MOBIL TERMINAL GIVES RISE TO CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ON THE BORDER-LINE OF ACCEPTABILITY, SAID MR AKERS-JONES.
+THE IR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THIS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND, AS A RESULT, A WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN SET UP UNDER MY CHAIRMANSHIP TO CONSIDER WHAT COMBINATION OF MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
+THE WORK ING GROUP WILL REPORT BACK WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THIS WITHIN THREE MONTHS.+
HE ADDED THAT ALL THE INSTALLATIONS WERE CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED IN THE LAW AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE DANGEROUS GOODS ORDINANCE.
THEY ARE THEREFORE SUBJECT TO ISSUE OF AN ANNUAL LICENCE, FOLLOWING INSPECTIONS BY THE SPECIFIED AUTHORITY, THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY STANDARDS.
+THE GOVERNMENT NOW ALSO HAVE AVAILABLE THE EXPERTISE OF
THE GAS ADVISER'S OFFICE, HE SAID.
+ INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT BY THEIR OFFICES IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENTS WERE DESIRABLE. THESE ARE NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE COMPANIES AS A CONDITION OF LICENCE.+
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