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SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 1991
THE EXPENDITURE ON THE LANDSLIP PREVENTIVE MEASURES DURING THIS FINANCIAL YEAR IS EXPECTED TO BE $87 MILLION.
PROGRAMME
IN ADDITION, EXPENDITURE ON STABILISATION AND IMPROVEMENT WORK TO THE LARGE SANITARY LANDFILL AT SAI TSO WAN IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE ORDER OF $15 MILLION THIS YEAR.
WAS
UNTIL RECENTLY, THE LANDSLIP PREVENTIVE MEASURES PROGRAMME CONCERNED ENTIRELY WITH SLOPES AND RETAINING WALLS WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE.
HOWEVER, THE PROGRAMME NOW INCLUDES THE STABILISATION OF SOME UNSATISFACTORY SLOPES AND WALLS WHICH COULD INDIRECTLY CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE BY MAJOR DISRUPTION TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES, OR WHICH COULD CAUSE MAJOR ECONOMIC DISRUPTION,
THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES SLOPES ALONG MAJOR ROADS, AND SLOPES ALONG OTHER ROADS WHICH PROVIDE THE SOLE ACCESS TO HOSPITALS, WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS, RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO THE STABILISATION WORKS INITIATED AND EXECUTED BY THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE, A GREAT DEAL OF SLOPE STABILISATION WORK, AT A COST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR, IS CARRIED OUT IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN ASSOCIATION WITH CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS.
THERE CONTINUES TO BE THE PROBLEM OF UNSAFE SLOPES OCCUPIED BY SQUATTERS. THESE SLOPES CANNOT BE RECTIFIED UNDER THE LANDSLIP PREVENTIVE MEASURES PROGRAMME BECAUSE CLEARANCES ARE INVARIABLY NEEDED BEFORE LARGE-SCALE WORK CAN BE CARRIED OUT.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS NOW CLEARED ABOUT 53,000 OF THE 57,000 PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE OCCUPYING STEEP SLOPES ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO LANDSLIPS IN 1984.
THE GCO IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPPLY OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, GROUND INVESTIGATIONS AND LABORATORY TESTING FOR PUBLIC WORKS, AND PROVIDING GEOTECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICES TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
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