XN000022-1980-07-13 — Page 7

SUNDAY, JULY 13, 1980

RIVER CLEAN-UP OPERATION TO BE COMPLETED SOON

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A CLEAN-UP OF BEAS RIVER IN SHEUNG SHUI, WHICH IS PART OF THE DRIVE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL WATER POLLUTION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, IS TO BE COMPLETED SHORTLY.

ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER NORTH, MR DAVID PIRKIS, SAID LIKE OTHER RIVERS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BÉAS RIVER HAD BEEN POLLUTED BY ANIMAL WASTE FROM CHICKEN AND PIG FARMS LOCATED ALONG THE BANKS.

HE SAID IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT 1 360 CUBIC METRES OF PIG MANURE AND 210 TONNES OF CHICKEN WASTE WENT INTO NEW TERRITORIES STREAMS EVERY DAY.

IN THE WET SEASON, WHEN THE LEVEL OF THE RIVER ROSE, THIS WASTE WAS GENERALLY WASHED AWAY.

IN THE DRY SEASON, HOWEVER, IT ACCUMULATED, CAUSING A BUILD-UP WITH ROTTING VEGETATION WHICH FORMED A THICK CRUST ON THE WATER.

THE CONSEQUENT SANITARY AND HEALTH HAZARDS WERE OBVIOUS, MR PIRK IS SAID.

TO CONTROL THE SITUATION, STAFF FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE LAUNCHED A SERIES OF CLEANING OPERATIONS IN NT RIVERS DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AT PRESENT, 18 WORKERS IN THREE TEAMS FROM THE NTSD ARE CLEANING BEAS RIVER BY REMOVING RUBBISH FROM THE RIVER BOTTOM AND FROM ALONG THE BANKS.

THE OPERATION, THE SECOND IN TWO YEARS, BEGAN THREE MONTHS AGO.

HOWEVER, MR PIRKIS SAID, THIS WAS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. SO LONG AS PIG AND CHICKEN FARMERS CONTINUED FLUSHING WASTE OUT OF THEIR YARDS INTO NEARBY STREAM COURSES, THE BASIC PROBLEM WOULD REMAIN.

THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION, HE SAID, LAY IN STOPPING POLLUTION AT SOURCE. +CO-OPERATION OF CHICKEN AND PIG FARMERS AS WELL AS PICNICKERS IS THEREFORE NEEDED TO STOP WATER POLLUTION.

HE SAID LEGISLATION WAS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL WASTE DISPOSAL. IT WAS HOPED THAT STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF ITS PROVISIONS WOULD HELP DETER PEOPLE FROM INDISCRIMINATELY THROWING RUBBISH INTO RIVERS.

FOR THE MOMENT, THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND NTSD ARE RUNNING AN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL WASTE COLLECTION SCHEME AT TA KWU LING.

UNDER THE SCHEME, WORKERS COLLECT ON A DAILY BASIS REFUSE AND FARM WASTE LEFT AT COLLECTION POINTS BY VILLAGERS, VEHICLES THEN COLLECT IT FOR DISPOSAL.

TWO SETTLEMENT TANKS HAVE ALSO BEEN INSTALLED IN THE AREA TO FILTER THE WATER FLOWING OUT OF FARMERS' YARDS.

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