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More resources to meet development & environmental needs
The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, said today (Wednesday) there would be more resources in 1996-97 to implement the commitments within his policy areas of meeting Hong Kong's development needs and cleaning up the environment.
Mr Leung said a total of 191 new posts would be created in 1996-97 to provide new and improved services mainly related to slope safety, flood prevention, building safety, conservation and environmental protection.
Of these new posts, 46 will be created in the Buildings, Drainage Services and Lands Departments in connection with implementation of the Landslip Preventive Measures Programme.
Mr Leung said: "The Buildings Department will establish a new section this year to deal with enforcement action arising from a scheme to require building owners to carry out regular inspections of buried private drains and services which may affect the safety of their slopes.
"For the Lands Department, they will commission a consultancy study to identify systematically the maintenance responsibility of all 50,000 registerable man- made slopes in Hong Kong."
On flood prevention, Mr Leung said: "The Drainage Services Department will have 15 new posts to implement the flood control strategy. This will enable them to speed up work in upgrading the stormwater drainage system throughout Hong Kong, reducing flood risks in low-lying areas, particularly in the Northwest New Territories and in implementing the Shenzhen River Regulation Project."
He noted that work on Stage I of the river regulation project was progressing smoothly for completion in mid-1997 and Stage II work would commence in late 1996.
Turning to building safety, Mr Leung said: "We tightened up safety control and supervision over building and demolition work following the enactment of the Buildings Amendment Ordinance and the creation of a site monitoring team in Buildings Department last year.