XN000022-1975-04-12 — Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1975

PUBLIC URGED TO HELP PREVENT LANDSLIDES

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AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC TO ASSIST IN FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE. PREVENTION BY COMMON-SENSE ACTION WAS MADE TODAY BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. IT ALSO GAVE A PICTURE OF ITS OWN PREVENTIVE EFFORTS AS THE RAINY SEASON BEGINS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE MOST OBVIOUS CONTRIBUTION THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE TO THE COMMUNAL SAFETY EFFORTS IS TO TAKE ACTION TO SEE THAT ANY DRAINS OR NULLAHS IN THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD ARE FREE OF OBSTRUCTION.

+CLEARING A DRAIN MAY SEEM AN, UNEXCITING SORT OF THING TO DO,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED, +BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE VERY SMALL AND TRIVIAL-SEEMING MATTER OF A BLOCKED DRAIN OR GUTTER CAN IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE RISE TO LARGE-SCALE DANGER IF NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN TIME.

+WE IN THE DEPARTMENT ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS SORT OF PREVENTIVE ACTION THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN BY INDIVIDUALS IN THE PAST. AND WE HOPE THAT EVEN MORE PEOPLE WILL BE ALERT TO THE SITUATION THIS RAINY SEASON.+

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT A DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP DRAINS AND NULLAHS CLEAR RESTS ON OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF BUILDINGS AND LAND WHOSE PROPERTY INCLUDES THE DRAINS, AND RESIDENTS COULD REMIND BUILDING MANAGEMENTS OF THIS RESPONSIBILITY.

+BUT THERE ARE SITUATIONS,+ HE ADDED, +WHERE ALL OF US CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP EVEN IF WE ARE NOT PERSONALLY INVOLVED,

+FOR EXAMPLE, IF ANYONE NOTICES THAT A STREET GULLEY GRATING IS BLOCKED BY A DISCARDED PLASTIC WRAPPER AT A TIME OF HEAVY RAIN, IT IS A VERY SIMPLE MATTER FOR HIM OR HER TO REMOVE THE OFFENDING MATERIAL WITH THE POINT OF AN UMBRELLA.

+THIS SORT OF SIMPLE ACTION, TAKING A FEW SECONDS IN TIME, COULD CONCEIVABLY PREVENT À NASTY FLOOD OR LANDSLIDE SITUATION BUILDING UP AND AFFECTING A CONSIDERABLE AREA,+

REVIEWING THE PRECAUTIONARY ACTION BEING TAKEN NOW BY THE DEPARTMENT AS THE RAINY SEASON APPROACHES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT, AS IN PAST YEARS AT THE SAME SEASON, THE CHECKING OF ALL DRAINS, NULLAHS AND WATER COURSES FOR WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE HAS BEEN STEPPED UP RECENTLY.

+AT THE SAME TIME. ALL BUILDING CONTRACTORS ARE BEING REMINDED OF THE NEED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS ON THEIR SITES.+

MEANWHILE, AS PART OF THE ANNUAL PRECAUTIONARY CHECK-UP EMERGENCY SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES IN THE VARIOUS P.W.D. OFFICES INVOLVED ARE BEING REVIEWED AND UP-DATED.

/A LEADING