16
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1986
BACKGROUND RADIATION MONITORING PROGRAMME BEING DEVELOPED
****
COMMENTING ON THE CONCERN VOICED, FOLLOWING THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR INCIDENT, ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ON HONG KONG, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MONITOR RADIATION LEVELS AND TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF ANY ACCIDENT ACTUALLY OCCURRING.
TOWARDS THIS END, GOVERNMENT HAD COMMISSIONED THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY AT HARWELL IN NOVEMBER 1985 TO PROVIDE IT WITH INDEPENDENT AND EXPERT ADVICE ON THREE IMPORTANT AREAS:
THESE ARE:
* THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BACKGROUND RADIATION MONITORING
PROGRAMME TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY FOR THE PURPOSE OF MONITORING THE RADIATION LEVEL IN HONG KONG'S ATMOSPHERE;
* AN ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE PROBABILITIES OF DIFFERENT INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS AT THE NUCLEAR POWER STATION AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG; AND
* GUIDANCE ON THE DESIGN OF AN OUTLINE CONTINGENCY PLAN.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE CONSULTANCY IS
WELL UNDER WAY, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 1987. UP TO THE PRESENT, THE CONSULTANTS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE RADIATION MONITORING PROGRAMME BASED ON WHICH THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY IS REVISING THE PROGRAMME FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
+ IN THE LIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID, +GOVERNMENT WILL REQUEST HARWELL TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM THAT ACCIDENT AND TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ACCORDINGLY.+
/17