- 1 -
SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 1993
BUDGET ON ANTI-POLLUTION WORK INCREASED
*
THE
INCREASE IN THE BUDGET TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) FOR 1993/94 WILL HELP THE DEPARTMENT TO STEP UP ITS ANTI-POLLUTION WORK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EPD, MR MIKE STOKOE, SAID.
MR STOKOE SAID THE INCREASED RESOURCES WOULD HELP TO MAKE HONG KONG A MUCH MORE PLEASANT AND HEALTHY PLACE TO LIVE IN.
APART FROM THE $4.9 BILLION INJECTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SEWAGE STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH THE PRESSING SEWAGE PROBLEM, A TOTAL OF $933.4 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR 1993/94.
MK STOKOE SAID 78 PER CENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EXPENDITURE, OR $728 MILLION, WOULD BE USED TO FUND A MUCH IMPROVED PROGRAMME FOR SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL.
++ THE 1993/94 PROGRAMME INCLUDES THE COMMISSIONING OF THE CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT CENTRE IN APRIL, THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMISSIONING OF THE FIRST TWO OF THE THREE STRATEGIC LANDFILLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND A NETWORK OF REFUSE TRANSFER STATIONS, HE SAID, WHEN ADDRESSING AN INTERNATIONAL VIDEO-CONFERENCE
ON HONG KONG'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS LAST FRIDAY.
WHILE ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE WASTE DISPOSAL PLAN WOULD ACCOUNT FOR A LARGE SLICE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BUDGET, MR STOKOE POINTED OUT THAT OTHER ASPECTS OF POLLUTION WERE NOT NEGLECTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUT OF THE 128 POSTS то BE CREATED IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR 1993/94, 46 POSTS WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR SUPPORTING CHEMICAL WASTE CONTROL AND FOR MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAMME, MR STOKOE SAID.
A FURTHER 41 ADDITIONAL POSTS WILL BE PROVIDED TO STRENGTHEN THE CONTROL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE, MR STOKOE SAID.
"WE ARE NOW ABLE TO DECLARE THE WATER CONTROL ZONES IMMEDIATELY TO THE EAST AND WEST OF VICTORIA HARBOUR LATER THIS YEAR, HE SAID.
"
ON THE AIR SIDE, 21 ADDITIONAL POSTS ARE EARMARKED FOR INCREASED ENFORCEMENT AND CONTROL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A SATISFACTORY STANDARD OF AIR QUALITY, HE SAID.
THAT INCLUDES CONTROLS ON ASBESTOS IN BUILDINGS AND THE REMOVAL THE EXEMPTIONS CURRENTLY ENJOYED BY CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES UNDER THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL AMENDMENT ORDINANCE.
OF
A FURTHER 12 NEW POSTS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR PREVENTING POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE PROBLEMS AND RESOLVE ACTUAL PROBLEMS. ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION IS BEING INTRODUCED TO CONTROL CONSTRUCTION NOISE AND ROAD VEHICLE NOISE.
/EIGHT NEW