XN000022-1980-08-03 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 1980

$5 MILLION FOR EXPERT ADVICE ON REPAIRING NT DEVELOPMENT DAMAGE

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT $5 MILLION FOR EXPERT ADVICE ON HOW TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT CAUSED BY DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, A SENIOR OFFICER OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE NINTH HONG KONG YOUTH ENVIRONMENT FORUM AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT, MR JOSEPH WONG, SAID THERE WAS NO DISPUTE THAT THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT HAD DAMAGED OUR ENVIRONMENT +IN SOME WAYS+.

*WE HAD TO TEAR DOWN HILLS TO BORROW FILL MATERIALS FILL IN THE SEA TO RECLAIM LAND- DEMOLISH ANCIENT VILLAGES TO MAKE WAY FOR ROADS.

+THE SCARS OF DEVELOPMENT ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND YOU CAN READILY POINT TO SOME OF THEM IN SHA TIN, HE SAID.

+BUT, MR WONG SAID, I HOPE THIS DAMAGE IS ONLY TEMPORARY.

+I SAY THIS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT NO LESS THAN $5 MILLION FOR EXPERT ADVICE ON LANDSCAPING OUR NEW TOWNS.

+A LANDSCAPE STUDY TELLS US MUCH MORE THAN HOW TO REHABILITATE THE DAMAGE DONE BY DEVELOPMENT WORK.

+ESSENTIALLY, IT TELLS US HOW TO MAKE OUR HIGH DENSITY NEW TOWNS AS PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE.·

MR WONG SAID A LANDSCAPE CORE TEAM HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN SHA TIN TO ENSURE THAT VARIOUS LANDSCAPING PROPOSALS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN KEEPING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

THIS SYSTEM WOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE OTHER NEW TOWNS.

SPEAKING OF VARIOUS THREATS TO OUR WORK+ AR WONG MENTIONED WASTE FROM PIG AND CHICKEN FARMS, PRODUCING 1 363 CUBIC METRES AND 210 TONNES OF MANURE RESPECTIVELY EACH DAY WHICH WENT INTO STREAMS AND RIVERS.

+THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN THE WET SEASON, THE WASTE IS GENERALLY FLUSHED AWAY AFTER HEAVY RAIN. BUT IN THE DRY SEASON THE WASTE WILL COMBINE WITH OTHER RUBBISH TO BUILD UP A THICK CRUST WITH AN OBNOXIOUS SMELL. THERE ARE OF COURSE SANITARY AND HEALTH HAZARDS.+

MR WONG SAID TWO MONTHS AGO THE WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE CAME INTO EFFECT. THE ORDINANCE EMPOWERED THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL TO DESIGNATE ANY AREA IN HONG KONG AS AN AREA IN WHICH ANIMAL WASTE WAS TO BE STORED IN PRESCRIBED CONTAINERS, AND TO MAKE REGULATIONS PRESCRIBING THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH STORAGE CONTAINERS.

THE PROPER