XN000022-1982-02-04 — Page 2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1982

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GOVERNOR LOOKS OVER CLEARANCE WORK IN KWUN TONG

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE THIS AFTERNOON (THURSDAY) VISITED KWUN TONG DISTRICT TO LOOK OVER CLEARANCE WORK BEING CARRIED OUT ON ILLEGAL STRUCTURES IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA.

HE SAID HE WAS +VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK BEING DONE TO CLEAR THE ILLEGAL STRUCTURES.

*THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD HAVE SET ABOUT IT IN A PRACTICAL WAY THEY HAVE GOOD SUPPORT FROM THE DISTRICT AND THE OPERATION IS HAVING RESULTS, SIR MURRAY SAID.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY (CITY), MR GRAHAM BARNES- THE CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER FOR KWUN TONG, MR DAVID TSUI- AND SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MR ERIC CHOI, SIR MURRAY PROCEEDED TO TSUN YIP LANE, HUNG TO ROAD AND HOT YUEN ROAD WHERE HE SAW THE BACKLANES BEING ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED BY COOKED FOOD STALLS.

BECAUSE OF THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION BY THE FOOD STALLS FACTORY OPERATORS HAVE TO USE THE MAIN THOROUGHFARES FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING THEIR GOODS, AND THIS HAS ADDED TO THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE AREA. THE OPERATION OF THE COOKED FOOD STALLS ALSO POSES HEALTH AND FIRE HAZARDS.

THE GOVERNOR WAS BRIEF BY MR TSUI ON THE GENERAL SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT AND BY MR CHOI ON THE CLEARANCE OPERATION AS WELL AS 'OPERATION TORCH - A CAMPAIGN TO BE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED SOON IN THE DISTRICT.

AIMED AT IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE DISTRICT, 'OPERATION TORCH HAS BEEN DRAWN UP BY THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THROUGH THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF FOUR PILOT OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN THE AREA.

THE FIRST PHASE OF OPERATION TORCH WILL BE FORMALLY STARTED ON FEBRUARY 15, WITH THE WHOLE SCHEME BEING IMPLEMENTED OVER 13 MONTHLY CLEARANCE PROGRAMMES.

SIR MURRAY ALSO MET MEMBERS OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD AND HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ABOUT DISTRICT PROBLEMS,

THE GOVERNOR EARLIER VISITED TELFORD GARDENS IN KOWLOON BAY TO SEE THE VARIOUS FACILITIES THERE IN THE COMPANY OF MR NORMAN THOMPSON, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MTR CORPORATION AND MR BARRACLOUGH, MTR OPERATIONS DIRECTOR.

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