XN000022-1982-06-10 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1982

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EPCOM REPORT DISCUSSED

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM) AND ITS SPECIAL COMMITTEES ARE NOW ALL CHAIRED BY UNOFFICIALS, WHO ARE INDEPENDENT AND WELL PLACED TO LOBBY GOVERNMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, EPCOM CHAIRMAN MR GERALD FORSGATE SAID TODAY.

HIS OBSERVATION WAS MADE AT THE OPENING OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE WHICH WAS ATTENDED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEW DISTRICT BOARDS AND BY THE PRESS.

THE AIM OF OPENING THE GATHERING TO A WIDER AUDIENCE,

MR FORSGATE SAID, IS TO LET MORE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT EPCOM ORGANISATION IS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT IT AND GOVERNMENT ARE DOING IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT OF WHAT EPCOM DEALT WITH IN THE PAST YEAR WAS DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING AND MR FORSGATE OUTLINED THE MORE IMPORTANT ITEMS.

ONE OF THESE WAS AN AIR POLLUTION CONTROL BILL, THE THIRD MAJOR PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHICH HAS BEEN THROUGH EPCOM'S CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY - FOLLOWING THE WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE AND THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE.

ANOTHER WAS THE DECLARATION OF TOLO HARBOUR AS THE FIRST WATER CONTROL ZONE IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR AND THE DRAWING UP OF WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR THE ZONE.

ON THE OLD SMELLY PROBLEM OF THE KAI TAK NULLAH, MR FORSGATE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT AT LAST THERE WAS NOW A DETERMINED AND DETAILED PROGRAMME ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

+A NEW *KAI TAK NULLAH' UNIT HAS BEEN SET UP A COMPREHENSIVE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME PLANNED AND PUT INTO THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME- AND DESILTING AND OTHER OPERATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THERE WAS AN EPCOM SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS SCHEME, ANNOUNCED IN APRIL, WHICH PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE A MODEST BUDGET TO FINANCE PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS WHO WISH TO UNDERTAKE SOME BONA FIDE PROJECT OR STUDY IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

SPEAKING AFTER MR FORSGATE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AIR POLLUTION, MR WALTER SULKE POINTED OUT THAT THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL BILL WAS REALLY NO MORE THAN A BEGINNING.

+FOR WE MUST NOW GET DOWN TO PUTTING FLESH ON THE BONES OF THIS ENABLING BILL, IN THE FORM OF DETAILED REGULATIONS WHICH WILL ACTUALLY BRING THE CONTROLS INTO EFFECT,+ HE SAID.

-E SAID HI: COMMITTEE O ALSO BEEN OCCUPIED WITH VEHICULAR

ECENTLY HELD » OPECIAL MEETING WITH

ERCIAL VERTELE OWNERS AND DRIVERS.

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