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34 dangerous hillsides notices issued in six months
A total of 34 dangerous hillsides notices had been served by the Buildings Department to owners of private slopes during the first six months of this year compared with 31 for last year, the department's Assistant Director, Mr Mike Green, said today (Sunday).
He said the notices were issued under the Buildings Ordinance on the advice of the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering Department to safeguard the public and bring private slopes and retaining walls up to the required safety standard.
"These notices require the owners to appoint an authorised professional to investigate the stability of the slopes in question, to design and supervise the necessary landslip preventive works, to monitor stability until completion of the remedial works and to give warning of impending danger if necessary," he said.
Last year, 12 notices were complied with by owners, and a further six notices were complied with in the first six months of this year although not all of them were issued during these periods. In addition, last year the government contractors had carried out remedial works in the owners' default respect of five notices issued.
Mr Green said an owner who failed to comply with the dangerous hillsides notice would be liable to prosecution and, on conviction, to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year.
"He is also liable to a further fine of $5,000 per day for the period during which the failure to comply with the notice continued," he added.
Mr Green stressed that even after a notice had been complied with, continuing vigilance by the owners was necessary to ensure the slope remained safe.
"Every slope and retaining wall must be regularly inspected and any maintenance works must be undertaken timely by the owners," he said.
He also urged owners to ensure all drains, surface water channels on slopes and weepholes in retaining walls are kept clear and free of debris.
"All buried services including underground drains and water supplying pipes should also be examined for signs of leakage or water flow," he added.
End/Sunday, August 6, 1995