XN000022-1984-03-28 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1984

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HE NOTED THAT THE ESTIMATED CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAD INCREASED BY 12.7 PER CENT OVER LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURE, SHOWING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD STEADILY CARRIED OUT ITS COMMITMENTS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG.

+HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS

AREA LACKS CO-ORDINATION, HE OBSERVED.

HE SAID SOME 10 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, TOGETHER WITH GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS WERE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

SUCH BEING THE CASE, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CO-ORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME UNDERTAKEN BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED, HE SAID,

+AT TIMES IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO DRAW CLEAR DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

+ALSO, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO SHIRK RESPONSIBILITIES, MR SO ADDED.

RECALLING THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, MR SO SAID THE TASK WAS NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES.

+THIS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, THE STEPPED-UP EFFORTS OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED IN THIS RESPECT, THE CHANGES IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE TRANSFER OF THE TASK OF POLICY FORMULATION FROM THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, HE SAID.

NOTING THAT THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT'S WASTE DISPOSAL WERE LOW COST, CONSERVATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND RECYCLING OF WASTE WHENEVER POSSIBLE, MR SO SAID, HONG KONG HANDLES 6 530 TONNES OF WASTE PER DAY AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE FIGURE WILL RISE TO 10 000 TONNES IN 1989+.

HE SAID PROBLEMS AND CASES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION COULD BE SEEN AND HEARD EVERY DAY AND THAT QUITE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS RAISED DURING THE FOUR-DAY PUBLIC SESSION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WERE ENVIRONMENT-RELATED.

WITH THE INCREASE IN POPULATION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES MR SO SAID, WASTE DISPOSAL AND PREVENTION OF POLLUTION TO OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WAS BECOMING A MORE DIFFICULT TASK.

+AND THE PRESSURE IS FELT ALL THE MORE BECAUSE OF OUR LIMITED NATURAL RESOURCES. WHICH EXPLAINS WHY WE IN HONG KONG HAVE A GREATER DEMAND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THAN OTHER PLACES+, HE ADDED.