XN000022-1977-02-12 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1977

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VETTING AND APPROVING ALL PROPOSALS, DESIGN CRITERIA AND PLANS FOR ALL NEW FORMED SLOPES AND STRUCTURES ON OR ADJACENT TO SLOPES BOTH IN THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC SECTORS=

* KEEPING A STRICT WATCH ON THE SUPERVISION OF PUBLIC AND

PRIVATE SLOPE CONSTRUCTION TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKS COMPLY WITH APPROVED DESIGNS AND ARE SAFELY EXECUTED-

* REGULARLY INSPECTING ALL EXISTING SLOPES, AND STRUCTURES

ON OR ADJACENT TO SLOPES- AND

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MAKING DETAILED FOLLOW-UP STUDIES OF ANY SUSPECT AREA.

MR. O'RORKE SAID SOME OF THE PROPOSED FUNCTIONS OF THE NEW CONTROLLING BODY HAD IN THE PAST BEEN CARRIED OUT BY SECTIONS OF THE P.W.D. SUCH AS THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE AND THE SOILS ENGINEERING DIVISION OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE SET UP ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE 1972 LANDSLIDE INQUIRY AS WELL AS BY THE P.W.D.'S CONSULTING ENGINEERS.

+BUT IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT WORK ING PARTY AND THE PANEL OF EXPERTS, WE NOW INTEND TO BRING THEM ALL UNDER ONE CONTROLLING AGENCY TO ENSURE CONTINUITY AND UNIFORMITY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATION, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE OF SLOPES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

MR. O'RORKE SAID THE NEW GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE WOULD CONSIST OF A BUILDING BRANCH AND AN ENGINEERING BRANCH, IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING ORGANISATION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THE ENGINEERING BRANCH WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SLOPES ON CROWN LAND AND THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING WORKS.

THIS BRANCH WOULD CONTAIN THREE DIVISIONS - ONE TO TAKE OVER INSPECTION AND MONITORING OF EXISTING SLOPES AND TO ARRANGE FOR NECESSARY REMEDIAL WORKS ANOTHER TO CONTROL SITE INVESTIGATIONS AND SOIL TESTING OF SLOPES AND THE THIRD TO UNDERTAKE THE NEW FUNCTION OF CHECKING DESIGNS AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ENGINEERING WORKS UNDERTAKEN BY OTHER P.W.D. OFFICES, AS WELL AS THOSE FEW CARRIED OUT BY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

THE BUILDINGS BRANCH OF THE NEW OFFICE WOULD REMAIN IN THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE, WHICH NOW CONTROLS PRIVATE EARTHWORK BUT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER SLOPES ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDINGS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES SUCH AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

FOR SLOPES ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE BUILDINGS, IT WAS INTENDED TO RETAIN THE OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORISED PERSONS AND CONTRACTORS UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE SO AS TO ENSURE THAT PRIVATE EARTHWORKS WERE PROPERLY CARRIED OUT, SAID MR. O'RORKE.

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