XN000022-1986-10-30 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1986

ATTEMPTING TO KEEP ALL DILAPIDATED CONCRETE BUILDINGS UNDER SURVEILLANCE AND REPAIR WAS A GIGANTIC GROWING PROBLEM FACED BY THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS SECTION OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE (BOO).

DUE TO WORKLOAD AND SHORTAGE OF STAFF, PERIODIC GENERAL INSPECTIONS OF BUILDINGS, OR PLANNED SURVEYS, HAD TENDED TO BE UNDERTAKEN ONLY ON LIMITED OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE SECTION HAD ABOUT 3 000 MAINLY PRE-WAR BUILDINGS UNDER SPECIFIC SURVEILLANCE WHICH WAS A TIME-CONSUMING EXERCISE.

RECENTLY THREE PLANNED SURVEY AREAS NOT INSPECTED BEFORE WERE SURVEYED BY A SENIOR BUILDING SURVEYOR AND, OF 450 BUILDINGS INSPECTED, 100 REQUIRED REMEDIAL MEASURES.

ON ILLEGAL DRAINAGE WORKS, MR CHENG SAID INSPECTIONS WERE OFTEN CARRIED OUT IN FLATTED FACTORY BUILDINGS WHERE NO PROPER DRAINAGE SYSTEM FOR THE DISPOSAL OF WATER-BORNE EFFLUENTS WAS PROVIDED.

MANY FACTORY OPERATORS RESORTED TO DISCHARGING NORMALLY UNTREATED EFFLUENTS THROUGH ILLEGAL DRAINAGE CONNECTIONS INTO THE STORMWATER SEWER, POLLUTING STREAM COURSES, NULLAHS, RIVERS, AND EVENTUALLY THE SEA.

MR CHENG SAID THAT IN 1984 THE BOO, WITH THE SHA TIN DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE, MOUNTED AN EXPERIMENTAL OPERATION AGAINST ILLEGAL CONNECTION OF WASTE-WATER PIPES TO STORMWATER DRAINS AT FO TAN.

TWENTY-TWO ORDERS WAS ISSUED IN FIVE FACTORY BUILDINGS IDENTIFIED AS PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR POLLUTING SHING MUN RIVER BY THE ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS INTO FO TAN NULLAH- 19 HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH TO DATE.

GIVING DETAILS OF A HOUSING MIX STUDY. MR CHENG SAID THE PURPOSE WAS TO RECOMMEND A RESIDENTIAL LAND USE MIX FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAS.

+ IF WE MAKE CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT STEADILY RISING HOUSEHOLD INCOMES THE THEORETICAL DEMAND FOR HOUSING BETWEEN 1985 AND 2001 WOULD BE SPLIT BETWEEN PUBLIC RENTAL, HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND PRIVATE IN THE RATIO OF 34, 24, 42.+

+ IF CURRENT PRODUCTION RATES OF THE THREE TYPES OF HOUSING WERE MAINTAINED TO 1993, AND AGAIN ASSUMING RISING INCOMES, WE SHOULD MEET THE OUTSTANDING DEMAND FOR PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING IN ABOUT 1996 OR 1997.+

MR CHENG SAID THIS WAS ENCOURAGING NEWS AND THE TIME WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT POLICY ON PUBLIC HOUSING TO BE REVIEWED.

/SUCH A