XN000022-1978-07-05 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1978

CALL FOR PUBLIC CO-OPERATION TO KEEP ROADS CLEAR OF

RUBBISH *****

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, TODAY CALLED FOR MORE CO-OPERATION FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR OF RUBBISH.

THE APPEAL CAME IN A REPLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY TO THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING WHO ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD STEP UP THE CLEARING OF GULLIES AND SANDTRAPS ALONG PUBLIC THOROUGHFARES SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WERE NO BLOCKAGES TO CAUSE FURTHER FLOODINGS AFTER TORRENTIAL RAINS.

MR. MCDONALD SAID, IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF

+

THE RAINY SEASON EACH YEAR A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF ALL DRAINAGE INSTALLATIONS IS CARRIED OUT AND THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A STEPPED-UP PROGRAMME OF INSPECTION AND CLEARANCE ACTIVITIES WHICH IS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE RAINY SEASON TO ENSURE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THAT THE ROAD-SIDE DRAINAGE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS PROPERLY.+

NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID, GULLIES COULD STILL BE BLOCKED BY RUBBISH DEPOSITED IN THE INTERVALS BETWEEN CLEARINGS AND IF THIS COINCIDED WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN, LOCAL FLOODINGS COULD OCCUR.

+HOWEVER, PROBLEM AREAS ARE KNOWN TO THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S CLEANSING STAFF AND THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE ROAD GANGS AND BY PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THESE, THE RISK OF LOCAL FLOODING CAN BE MINIMISED,+ MR. MCDONALD SAID.

+IN GENERAL, THEREFORE, IT IS FELT THAT THE FREQUENCY OF CLEARING AND CLEANSING OPERATIONS IS ADEQUATE ALTHOUGH THE SITUATION COULD BE IMPROVED WITH MORE CO-OPERATION FROM THE PUBLIC IN KEEPING THE ROADS CLEAR OF RUBBISH.+

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