XN000022-1986-08-14 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1986

PROGRESS IN TACKLING POLLUTION, ILLEGAL HAWKERS OUTLINED

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, VISITED TUEN MUN AND KWUN TONG DISTRICTS THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING TO SEE THE PROGRESS MADE BY DEPARTMENTS IN TACKLING POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND HAWKERS.

SIR DAVID ARRIVED IN TUEN MUN BY HELICOPTER AND WAS MET BY THE DEPUTY REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR PETER NG, AND THE ACTING TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR EDWARD YÂU.

AT A PUMPING STATION NEXT TO SIU HONG COURT, SIR DAVID WAS INFORMED THAT THE STATION ACTED AS A POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICE TO INTERCEPT FAECALLY POLLUTED RIVER WATER FROM THE STREAMS WHILE RUBBISH ACCUMULATED AT SCREENS WAS CLEARED REGULARLY BY REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (WATER AND WASTE) OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, MR MIKE STOKOE, TOLD SIR DAVID THAT CONTINUOUS EFFORTS WERE MADE BY THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT WORKING GROUP ON WATERCOURSE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT TO MONITOR AND IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY.

SIR DAVID ALSO WENT TO A FOOTBRIDGE IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THE NEW TOWN TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS SUCH AS ANIMAL WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS ON THE QUALITY OF WATER IN THE TUEN MUN NULLAH.

HE WAS TOLD THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAD IDENTIFIED THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS CONSIDERING VARIOUS SOLUTIONS AND STEPPED UP MEASURES TO CLEAR THE NULLAH OF POLLUTANTS.

THESE INCLUDED PROPOSALS TO DREDGE AND SILT CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE NULLAH, IMPLEMENTING MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROLS ON ANIMAL WASTE AND URGING FACTORIES TO DISCHARGE THEIR INDUSTRIAL WASTE INTO THE SEWAGE SYSTEM AND NOT THROUGH THE STORM WATER DRAINS.

LATER SIR DAVID VISITED BUTTERFLY BEACH WHERE HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE WATER QUALITY THERE AND FUTURE PLANS TO PROVIDE MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE VICINITY.

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT, MR S.K. KWEI, ALSO TOLD SIR DAVID THAT THE TUEN MUN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WOULD BE OPENED NEXT MONTH AND THAT CONSTRUCTION WORK OF THE TUEN MUN TOWN HALL WOULD RESUME LATER THIS MONTH.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR LATER TOURED THE KWUN TONG INDUSTRIAL AREA AND INSPECTED COOKED FOOD FACILITIES THERE.

/HE WAS