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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1907
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HE SAID THAT ABOUT 25 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POLLUTION LOAD ON TOLO HARBOUR CAME FROM INDUSTRY, 48 PER CENT FROM AGRICULTURE AND 27 PER CENT FROM DOMESTIC SOURCES IN AREAS NOT SERVED BY THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
MR CHAMBERS ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT IN VIEW OF ITS USE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES, THE BACTERIAL QUALITY OF THE SHING MUN RIVER HAD BEEN CAREFULLY ASSESSED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
+THE STATE OF THE LOWER SHING MUN RIVER IS DEFINITELY UNACCEPTABLE,+ HE SAID, AND THEREFORE, SWIMMING WAS DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED.
HE ADMITTED THAT THE CONTINUATION AND INTENSIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS ON POLLUTION CONTROL IN THIS AREA WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT.
+DISTRICT WORKING GROUPS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN SHA TIN AND TAI PO AND ACTION IS IN HAND TO IMPROVE THE MAIN RIVERS BY THE CONTROL OF POLLUTION DISCHARGES AS WELL AS SUCH REMEDI AL MEASURES AS DESILTING, REFUSE CLEARANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FLOW, HE SAID.
IN ADDITION THE DRAFT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (GENERAL) REGULATIONS, WHICH HAD RECENTLY BEEN GAZETTED FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND COMMENT, WERE INTENDED TO ENABLE INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION TO BE CONTAINED IN THE SHORT TERM AND IMPROVED IN THE LONGER TERM, HE SAID.
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+SEPARATE MEASURES ARE ALSO BEING DEVELOPED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF AGRI CULTURAL AND TOXIC INDUSTRIAL WASTES,+ HE ADDED.
IT WAS INTENDED THAT THESE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES, TOGETHER WITH
SHOULD LEAD TO A REDUCTION THE EXTENSION OF THE SEWERAGE NETWORKS OF THE OVERALL POLLUTION LOAD IN THE AREA, MR CHAMBERS CONCLUDED.
TAX WRITTEN OFF **
TAX WRITTEN OFF AS IRRECOVERABLE IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1984-85 AMOUNTED TO $27.46 MILLION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY.
IN THE THREE PRECEDING FINANCIAL YEARS, THE AMOUNTS WRITTEN OFF WERE $10.22 MILLION, $7.51 MILLION, AND $12.14 MILLION RESPECTIVELY, HE SAID.
MR JACOBS EXPLAINED THAT TAX ASSESSED IN ANY FINANCIAL YEAR WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED AS IRRECOVERABLE UNTIL ALL POSSIBLE RECOVERY PROCEDURES HAD BEEN PURSUED.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON RITA FAN.
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