XN000022-1987-01-14 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1987

COLLAPSE HIGHLIGHTS HAZARDS OF UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES

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THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT AT KWAI CHUNG ON CHRISTMAS DAY, WHEN A CONCRETE CANOPY OF A BUILDING COLLAPSED KILLING ONE PERSON AND INJURING SEVERAL OTHERS, POINTED TO THE HAZARDS THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES AND THE NEED FOR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN, MR BARNES SAID THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE (BOO) ESTABLISHED A NEW DIVISION IN 1984 TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS.

IT WAS THEN ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE PROBABLY MORE THAN 25 000 REPORTED OR KNOWN CASES REQUIRING ATTENTION.

IN VIEW OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TASK A SELECTIVE APPROACH WAS ADOPTED AND THE PRESENT OPERATIONAL POLICIES MAY BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:

* PRIORITY FOR INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT WAS GIVEN TO ALL

KNOWN CASES WHERE THERE APPEARED TO BE AN IMMINENT DANGER TO LIFE AND LIMB

*

*

ALL COMPLAINTS RELATING TO NEW UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS WERE ALSO INVESTIGATED;

ALL NEW BUILDINGS WERE PATROLLED REGULARLY AND ENFORCEMENT ACTION TAKEN AGAINST ANY UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS, AND

* THE DANGERS POSED BY UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS WERE PUBLICISED THROUGH ADVISORY POSTERS AND PAMPHLETS, BY TELEVISION AND RADIO BROADCASTS, AND BY DISCUSSIONS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SEMINARS.

+A LOT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SINCE 1984, BUT CLEARLY WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN WHAT IS VERY MUCH AN UPHILL TASK,+ MR BARNES SAID.

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE BETTER AND QUICKER RESULTS, THE LANDS AND BUILDINGS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD RECENTLY ENDORSED A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES IN LEGISLATION, POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.

BRIEFLY, THESE CHANGES INCLUDED A REVISION OF PRIORITIES TO CONCENTRATE RESOURCES AND ENFORCEMENT ACTION ON DANGEROUS AND SIGNIFICANT NEW UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS, AMENDMENT OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE TO EMPOWER THE BOO IN APPROPRIATE CASES TO DEMOLISH IMMEDIATELY UNAUTHORISED BUILDING WORKS, AND THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL STAFF TO UNDERTAKE DEMOLITION.

/+WE SHALL