XN000022-1981-09-21 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1981

BRIGHTER TIMES AHEAD FOR VILLAGERS

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THOUSANDS OF VILLAGERS IN THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT AREA WILL BE GETTING LEGAL AND PROPERLY-WIRED ELECTRICITY BETWEEN THE END OF THIS MONTH AND DECEMBER, THROUGH EFFORTS OF THE AREA'S DISTRICT BOARD.

UNTIL NOW, THE ELECTRICITY THAT IS BEING USED IN THE VARIOUS SQUATTER VILLAGES CONCERNED, HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY TAPPED, AND THE WIRING USED FOR THIS HAS BEEN IMPROPERLY AND HAPHAZARDLY SET UP POSING DANGER NOT ONLY THROUGH ELECTROCUTION, BUT ALSO THROUGH FIRES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BOARD EXPLAINED THAT THE PROVISION OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS INVOLVED A NUMBER OF PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES, INCLUDING OFFICIAL GAZETTING OF THE AREAS CONCERNED FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING ELECTRICITY, AS WELL AS THE LAYING OF CABLES, AND, FOR THE BIGGER AREAS, ALSO THE SETTING UP OF POWER SUB-STATIONS.

+BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THAT ALL THIS HAS BEEN SETTLED AND WE EXPECT THE POWER TO BE SUPPLIED TO THE VARIOUS VILLAGES BETWEEN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND DECEMBER, HE SAID.

VILLAGES WHICH WILL BE GETTING THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH ARE GOOD HOPE VILLAGE, HEUNG YEUNG VILLAGE AND NAM SHAN NEW VILLAGE, WHICH HAVE IN ALL SOME 2 500 PERSONS.

DUE TO RECEIVE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY BY THE END OF DECEMBER ARE HONG LOK AND SEI HEI VILLAGES, WHICH HAVE 2 500 INHABITANTS, TAI HOM WOR VILLAGE, WHICH WAS PARTLY BURNT OUT IN A RECENT FIRE, AND THE NGAU CHI WAN UPPER EAST VILLAGE, WITH SOME 4 000 PEOPLE.

THE PROVISION OF A LEGAL SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY TO THE VILLAGES HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MANY TASKS UNDERTAKEN BY THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT BOARD AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THROUGH MUTUAL COOPERATION AND JOINT EFFORTS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE GOVERNMENT,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

SOME OF THE OTHER AMENITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED, AND ARE BEING OR WILL BE PROVIDED, INCLUDE A GREATER AMOUNT OF WATER SUPPLY, WORK ON IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIRS OF FOOTPATHS AND ROADS, REPROVISIONING OF PLAYGROUNDS. AS WELL AS TACKLING THE PROBLEMS OF FLOODING CREATED BY BLOCKED DRAINS IN THE SQUATTER AREAS.

FLOODING HAS BEEN A PROBLEM CAUSING MUCH INCONVENIENCE TO THE AREA. AS A RESULT. TWO DE-SILTING GATES WILL SOON BE INSTALLED AT THE ENTRANCE TO DRAINS TO PREVENT ACCUMULATION OF REFUSE WHICH BLOCK THE FLOW OF WATER.

IN REVIEWING THE WORK OF THE BOARD IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT, THE SPOKESMAN STATED THAT MUCH PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN SUCH AREAS AS COMMUNITY-BUILDING PROJECTS. MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, AND IMPROVEMENTS AND BETTER ING OF CONDITIONS IN THE SQUATTER AREAS.

/AS PART ......