XN000022-1977-06-29 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1977

SQUATTER AREAS KEPT CLEAN BY URBAN SERVICES

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THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT, POINTED OUT IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT ALL SQUATTER AREAS ARE PROVIDED WITH STANDARD LITTER DRUMS WHICH ARE EMPTIED AT LEAST ONCE DAILY BY CLEANSING STAFF OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT,

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. HENRY HU WHO HAD ASKED WHAT MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE HYGIENIC CONDITIONS OF KWAI SHING WAI AND OTHER SIMILAR AREAS.

MR. SCOTT SAID THAT IN THESE AREAS, DRAINS AND GUTTERS RUNNING ALONG PUBLIC THOROUGHFARES ARE ALSO CLEARED OF RUBBISH AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND DRY PAIL LAVATORIES ARE PROVIDED EITHER WITHIN OR,

IF SPACE IS NOT AVAILABLE, ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE AREAS.

HE ADDED THAT NIGHTSOIL IS COLLECTED BY USD STAFF ON A DAILY BASIS WHILE WATER IS AVAILABLE THROUGH PUBLIC STANDPIPES, AND PLANS ARE IN HAND TO INTRODUCE PROPER ELECTRICITY TO ALL THESE AREAS.

THE SECRETARY EXPLAINED THAT KWAI SHING WAI WAS A RESITE AREA CLEARED IN 1972 NOW WHOLLY OCCUPIED ILLEGALLY BY SQUATTERS.

+ THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM OF CLEARING DEBRIS FOLLOWING RECENT CLEARANCE OF PART OF. THIS SQUATTER AREA HAS BEEN DEALT WITH, BUT CLEARANCE OF THE REMAINING PART IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE POOR CONDITIONS IN THE AREA,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID IT WAS PLANNED THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE REMAINING RESIDENTS WOULD BE MOVED IN JULY AND THE REST LATER THIS YEAR,

INTO TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS.

MEANWHILE, HE NOTED, ANY FAMILY WISHING TO LEAVE HAD BEEN OFFERED ACCOMMODATION IN SHAM SHUI PO TRANSIT CENTRE WHICH HAS VERY GOOD FACILITIES, AND ONLY THREE FAMILIES HAVE SO FAR CHOSEN TO MOVE.

IN

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY THE HON. ALEX WU, STRESSED THAT IN AREAS WHERE RATS CAN OBTAIN PLENTY OF FOOD AND COMFORTABLE HIDING PLACES, TRAPPING AND POISONING THEM CANNOT GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.

HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO ERADICATE VERMIN ARE ALREADY AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY CAN BE MADE, BUT NO AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENTAL EFFORT CAN PRODUCE REALLY EFFECTIVE RESULTS WITHOUT THE CO-OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC IN IMPROVING HYGIENIC CONDITIONS AND THUS DENYING TO VERMIN THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY CAN MULTIPLY AND FLOURISH,+

A CONTINUING BATTLE AGAINST PESTS AND VERMIN IS WAGED BY PEST CONTROL STAFF OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHO ALSO CONDUCT PERIODICAL CAMPAIGNS TO PERSUADE THE PUBLIC TO ADOPT MEASURES THAT WILL REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF VERMIN, MR. JONES SAID.

/+EXAMPLES