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"To further strengthen work in this area, the Buildings Department will get 16 new posts largely to deal with work on improving fire safety standards in commercial buildings.
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Mr Leung noted that the Buildings Department was also working on a scheme to require owners to hire building professionals to inspect their building periodically and repair any defects identified. The public would be consulted on the proposed scheme in the second half of this
year.
On conservation, the Policy Secretary said: "We will create 15 new posts in the Agriculture and Fisheries Department for deployment on work related to management of marine parks and a marine reserve and the protection of the Ramsar site at Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay.
"It is expected three Marine Parks located at Hoi Ha Wan, Yan Chau Tong and Sha Chau-Lung Kwu Chau respectively and the Marine Reserve at Cape D'Aguilar will be established in the second half of 1996. The Sha Chau-Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park will enclose a sanctuary for Chinese White Dolphins. Consideration is being given to implement an artificial reef programme to enhance the marine environment there."
Expending on environmental protection, Mr Leung said: "We will create 15 new posts in the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Environmental Protection Department in connection with the enactment of the Environmental Impact Assessment Bill which will provide a statutory framework to ensure that environmental mitigation measures will be taken in the design and construction of projects.
"EPD will get 35 more new posts to beef up work on improving air quality.
"We aim to set up before the end of 1997 three more air quality monitoring stations at Causeway Bay, Central, and Eastern Districts and two more toxic air pollution monitoring stations at Central and Tsuen Wan.
"We are also working on some administrative and legislative measures to tighten emission controls on vehicles and considering the way forward for the proposed Diesel to Petrol Scheme."
Other new posts will be created in the Lands Department for work related mainly to land resumption and clearance for major works projects and in the Planning Department for work arising from amendments to the Town Planning Ordinance.