MONDAY, JULY 25, 1994
"WK HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DIVERTING SERVICE WATER FLOW FROM A BROKEN PIPE AWAY FROM THE SLOPE AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COVERING THE SLOPE FACE WITH PLASTIC SHEETS AND REMOVING DEBRIS. I'T HAS BEEN CONFIRMED THAT THE MAJOR STRUCTURE OF THESE BLOCKS 13 SUPPORTED BY DEEP CONCRETE COLUMNS.
"OUR ENGINEERS ARE ASSESSING THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF AN ACCESS STAIRCASE NEAR BLOCK D WHICH HAS BEEN UNDERMINED, HE SAID.
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MR BLAKE SAID WHILE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WAS BEING DONE TO RESTABILISE THE SLOPE, MORE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION OF THE STRUCTURE OF BLOCKS C AND D WOULD BE REQUIRED BEFORE THE CLOSURE ORDER GRANTED BY COURT TODAY COULD BE RECONSIDERED.
ON SLOPE SAFETY IN GENERAL, MR BLAKE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY COMMISSIONED CONSULTANCIES TO REVIEW INFORMATION ON SLOPES INCLUDED IN THE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OFFICE'S CATALOGUE OF SLOPES.
HE SAID THE LIST OF SLOPES WOULD BE UPDATED AND WHERE NECESSARY IMMEDIATE WORK WOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO FURTHER MINIMISE POTENTIAL RISK THAT THESE SLOPES MIGHT POSE.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE SLOPE STABILISATION PROGRAMME IN 1976, THE GOVERNMENT HAD SPENT MORE THAN $1 BILLION ON THESE WORKS,
"WE HAVE DEALT WITH ALL OF THE HIGH-RISK SLOPES AND IS NOW UNDERTAKING A PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE LOW-RISK SLOPES, HE SAID.
ON THE SAFETY OF PRIVATE SLOPES, MR BLAKE SAID: "APART FROM THE STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITY OF
OF DEVELOPERS AND OWNERS/OCCUPIERS ΤΟ SAFEGUARD THEIR OWN PRIVATE SLOPES, THE GOVERNMENT APPLIES STATUTORY MEANS TO MONITOR THESE SLOPES AND TO REQUIRE ACTION TO DEAL WITH ANY DEFECTS.
Fr
MR BLAKE SAID THE STATUTORY PROCEDURE AND MONITORING WOULD ENSURE THAT STANDARDS SET BY THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED.
HE NOTED THAT IN ADDITION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN SLOPE IMPROVEMENT WORK, OVER 300 PRIVATE SLOPES HAD BEEN STABILISED
ΤΟ PRIVATE
FOLLOWING
FORMAL NOTIFICATION
OWNERS/OCCUPIERS.
DEVELOPERS
AND
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SINCE 1992, THE GOVERNMENT HAD LAUNCHED REGULAR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS TO ALERT OWNERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING SLOPES IN GOOD CONDITION.
"THE GOVERNMENT'S MAINTENANCE TEAMS ALSO REPORT ON ANY SLOPE OR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE DEFICIENCIES FOUND ON THEM FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN, MR BLAKE SAID.
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