XN000022-1982-12-22 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982

27

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON WONG LAM WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY PLANS TO SUBVENT AIR-CONDITIONING IN THE CMC WARDS WHICH WERE +BADLY AFFECTED BY NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION ARISING FROM SURROUNDING FACTORIES AND TRAFFIC.+

DR THONG SAID HE WOULD REFER THE PROPOSAL TO THE MEDICAL COMMITTEE OF THE CMC FOR EXAMINATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

+ IF THE PROPOSAL IS FOUND TO BE WORTHY OF SUPPORT BY THE MEDICAL COMMITTEE, A FORMAL SUBMISSION SHOULD THEN BE MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS CONSIDERATION WITH A VIEW TO OBTAINING THE NECESSARY FUNDS, HE SAID.

+IN VIEW OF THIS, IT IS PREMATURE FOR THE GOVERNMENT AT THIS STAGE TO HAVE ANY CONCRETE PLANS FOR SUBVENTING AIR-CONDITIONING IN ANY OF THE WARDS OF THE HOSPITAL, HE ADDED.

CAR REPAIR WORKSHOPS NUISANCE EXAMINED

*****

THE GOVERNMENT IS EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPOSING CERTAIN CONDITIONS AND RESTRAINTS UPON CAR REPAIR WORKSHOPS IN THE URBAN AREA WITH A VIEW TO REDUCING THE NUISANCE THEY CAUSE.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THESE WORKSHOPS AND HAD BEEN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO ACCOMMODATING VEHICLE REPAIR SHOPS FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS.

IN 1979 THERE WERE ABOUT 800 SUCH WORKSHOPS AND THERE WERE MORE NOW, HE SAID.

+THEY ARE BASICALLY AN INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY AND SOME SITES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE IN INDUSTRIAL AREAS. CAN ONLY PROVIDE A SMALL PART OF THE ANSWER.

BUT THIS

+THE BASIC PROBLEM IS THAT THE DEMAND FOR CAR REPAIRING SERVICE EXISTS WHERE CARS ARE FOUND. THE INNER URBAN DISTRICTS ARE PLACES WHERE THE DEMAND IS GREATEST, BUT THEY ARE SO FULLY DEVELOPED THAT SUITABLE SITES ARE SIMPLY NOT AVAILABLE,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID THE WORKSHOPS, THEREFORE. MADE IMPROPER. USE OF THE GROUND FLOORS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND SPILLED OVER TO THE PAVEMENTS AND ROADWAY.

/28