XN000022-1982-05-12 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1982

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THE COMPREHENSIVE BODY OF NEW LEGISLATION WHICH WAS GRADUALLY BEING BUILT UP AND WHICH INCLUDED MANY

MEASURES TO PREVENT POLLUTION RATHER THAN JUST PENAL SANCTIONS TO BE USED AGAINST THOSE FOUND TO BE POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT- AND

THE IMPROVED STRUCTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM) WHICH NOW PROVIDED A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE CHANNEL FOR CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.

+THESE ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS DO NOT MEAN THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO ENJOYING RURAL TRANQUILLITY AND PRISTINE AIR IN CENTRAL AND KWUN TONG, DR REED SAID.

+BUT THEY DO MEAN THAT, DESPITE INCREASING PRESSURES, WE CAN LOOK FORWARD WITH SOME CONFIDENCE TO ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING CONDITIONS IN THE URBAN AREAS THAT DO NOT POSE UNACCEPTABLE RISKS TO THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION AND THAT, EXCEPT IN A FEW INSTANCES, THE PRESENT WIDESPREAD NUISANCE FROM SUCH THINGS AS NOISE AND BAD ODOURS CAN BE REDUCED TO A LEVEL ACCEPTABLE TO ALL BUT THOSE TO WHOM URBAN LIVING ITSELF IS ANATHEMA,+

HE POINTED OUT THAT MUCH OF THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE SO FAR WAS AIMED AT AVOIDING NEW, POTENTIALLY LARGE SCALE, PROBLEMS AND THIS WORK WAS ALREADY HAVING AN EFFECT. BUT ACTUAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESENT SITUATION WOULD SHOW THROUGH ONLY SLOWLY, BUT NEVERTHELESS SURELY.

DR REED OBSERVED THAT MEMBERS OF THE ENGINEERING INSTITUTION PROBABLY WIELDED GREATER INFLUENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, WITH POTENTIAL FOR BOTH HARM AND BENEFIT, THAN ANY OTHER GROUP OF

INDIVIDUALS IN HONG KONG SOCIETY.

HE URGED INSTITUTION MEMBERS, WHETHER THEY ARE INVOLVED IN PLANNING OR DESIGNING NEW ROADS, NEW HOUSING ESTATES OR WHOLE NEW TOWNS, POWER PLANTS OR AIRPORTS, TO KEEP THE NEEDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR CONSIDERATIONS.

+TODAY'S BAD PLANNING DECISION IS TOMORROW'S ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER,+ DR REED CONCLUDED.