XN000022-1986-08-11 — Page 7

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MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1986

CAMPAIGN TO FOCUS ON DRAINAGE PROBLEMS

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AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN WILL BE LAUNCHED IN MONG KOK NEXT MONTH ON SEWERAGE PROBLEMS IN THE DISTRICT.

THE CAMPAIGN IS AN ANNUAL PUBLICITY PROJECT ORGANISED BY THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD TO BOOST PEOPLE'S AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE.

A DISTRICT-WIDE SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN TO IDENTIFY DRAINAGE BLACK SPOTS, AND THEIR CAUSES.

QUESTIONNAIRES WILL ALSO BE SENT TO MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND OWNERS CORPORATIONS OF LOCAL BUILDINGS, REQUESTING THEM TO PINPOINT DRAINAGE PROBLEMS.

+ THE BLOCKAGE OF BUILDING DRAINS AND UNDERGROUND SEWERS HAS LONG BEEN A SUBJECT OF COMPLAINT AMONG LOCAL RESIDENTS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CAMPAIGN ORGANISING COMMITTEE, MR WONG CHE-MING, SAID.

+PLASTIC BAGS, CANS AND PACKETS THROWN DOWN THE DRAINS AND NULLAHS OFTEN CAUSE A BLOCKAGE.

+ THE ACCUMULATION OF SUCH WASTES IN STREETS IS ALSO PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FLOODING IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE DISTRICT WHENEVER RAINSTORMS OCCUR, HE SAID.

MR WONG NOTED THAT ABOUT 25 000 COMPLAINTS INVOLVING DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN KOWLOON WERE REPORTED TO THE URBAN DRAINAGE SECTION IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND OF THESE 8 000 WERE IN MONG KOK.

+IN VIEW OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM, THE DISTRICT BOARD FELT THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE PROPER WAY TO DISPOSE OF WASTE.

+A LARGE-SCALE PUBLICITY PROJECT WILL BE LAUNCHED, DIRECTED PARTICULARLY TOWARDS OPERATORS OF RESTAURANTS, MARKET STALLS, COOKED FOOD STALLS AND FACTORIES.

+ THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES THE CO-OPERATION OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, URBAN DRAINAGE SECTION OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE MONG KOK BUILDING MANAGEMENT CO-ORDINATION TEAM, HE ADDED.

THERE WILL BE SEMINARS, A QUIZ, VISITS AND COMPETITIONS TO BRING HOME THE MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS.

/APART FROM