XN000022-1986-09-01 — Page 3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1986

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RIVER POLLUTION ATTACKED ON SEVERAL FRONTS

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THE GOVERNMENT IS TACKLING THE POLLUTION OF SHING MUN RIVER IN SHA TIN ON SEVERAL FRONTS.

REMEDIAL MEASURES INCLUDE DESILTING, DREDGING, DIVERTING POLLUTANTS TO SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST UNAUTHORISED SEWER CONNECTIONS AND COLLECTION OF FLOATING REFUSE.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES BEING TAKEN INCLUDE THE FORMULATION OF AN AGRICULTURAL WASTE CONTROL PLAN AND THE INITIATION OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGAINST WATER POLLUTION.

IN 1985, THE FORMER ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT LET A CONTRACT FOR DREDGING THE RIVER CHANNEL BETWEEN SAND MARTIN BRIDGE AND LION BRIDGE.

DREDGING WAS CARRIED OUT FROM APRIL TO NOVEMBER AND A TOTAL OF 50 000 CUBIC METRES OF MATERIAL WAS REMOVED AT A COST OF $2.41 MILLION.

TWO MINOR DESILTING PROJECTS WERE ALSO UNDERTAKEN BY THE FORMER HIGHWAYS OFFICE - ONE AT THE PORTION OF FO TAN NULLAH FROM TAI PO ROAD UPSTREAM AND ANOTHER AT THE UPPER BEND OF THE RIVER CHANNEL OUTSIDE THE OLD TAI WAI RAILWAY STATION.

THE NEXT CONTRACT FOR MAINTENANCE DREDGING WILL COVER FO TAN NULLAH, SIU LEK YUEN NULLAH, THE UPPER COURSE OF THE RIVER CHANNEL FROM SAND MARTIN BRIDGE UPSTREAM AND THE AREA OUTSIDE THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE.

THIS CONTRACT IS EXPECTED TO START THIS MONTH AND LAST A YEAR AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $8 MILLION.

THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT HAS MADE AVAILABLE $121 000 FOR THE TERM CONTRACTOR OF THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE, SHA TIN, TO UNDERTAKE REFUSE COLLECTION AT THE SHALLOW END OF THE RIVER CHANNEL ON A REGULAR BASIS DURING THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

THE FIRST REFUSE COLLECTION EXERCISE WAS COMPLETED AT THE END OF JULY AND THE SECOND IS NOW IN PROGRESS.

AS AN INTERIM MEASURE TO PREVENT ANIMAL WASTE FROM WO LIU HANG VILLAGE FROM POLLUTING THE RIVER, THE TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS CONSTRUCTED INTERCEPTOR MANHOLES ON TWO SURFACE WATER DRAINS TO DIVERT POLLUTANTS FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM. THESE INTERCEPTORS WERE COMPLETED IN JULY.

A LONGER TERM AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER TO ANIMAL WASTE POLLUTION IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANIMAL WASTE CONTROL MEASURES RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

THESE INCLUDE .....