XN000022-1987-04-03 — Page 8

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1987

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SLOPE SAFETY GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY

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THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO GIVE HIGH PRIORITY TO SLOPE SAFETY IN HONG KONG IN TERMS OF RESOURCES BEING EXPENDED AND POSITIVE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, DR EDWARD BRAND, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

HE SAID WORKS WOULD BE IN PROGRESS ON 91 SLOPES AND RETAINING WALLS AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $66 MILLION THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

OF THE 62 SLOPES AND WALLS ON WHICH WORK IS TO START DURING THE YEAR, 19 ARE ON HONG KONG ISLAND, SIX IN KOWLOON AND THE REST IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

WORK ON 29 SLOPES AND WALLS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED DURING THE PERIOD.

IN 1986-87, $64 MILLION HAD BEEN SPENT ON STABILISING 83 SLOPES AND WALLS OVER THE TERRITORY. THIRTY OF THEM WERE COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR.

DR BRAND STRESSED THAT ROUTINE CONTROL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CHECKING OF ALL NEW PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GEOTECHNICAL DESIGNS, CONTINUED TO BE AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF HIS OFFICE.

+THESE ACTIVITIES ENSURE THAT UNSATISFACTORY SLOPES, RETAINING WALLS AND SITE FORMATION WORKS ARE NOT CONSTRUCTED, AND THAT EX ISTING UNSAFE SLOPES AND WALLS ARE INVESTIGATED AND RECTIFIED,+ HE EXPLAINED.

FROM 1976, THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE HAS BEEN PURSUING RIGOROUSLY ITS LANDSLIP PREVENTIVE MEASURES PROGRAMME WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF STABILISATION MEASURES TO UNSATISFACTORY SLOPES AND RETAINING WALLS.

SINCE THEN MORE THAN $650 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON STABILISING MORE THAN 450 SLOPES AND WALLS IN THE TERRITORY.

EXPENDITURE ON THE PROGRAMME CONTINUES AT THE RATE OF MORE THAN $65 MILLION PER YEAR, WHILE ANNUAL SLOPE MAINTENANCE COST IS AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION,

THESE DO NOT INCLUDE STABILISATION WORK CARRIED OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS AS PART OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.

FROM 1986-87, THE PROGRAMME HAS INCLUDED STABILISATION OF SOME UNSATISFACTORY SLOPES AND WALLS WHICH COULD INDIRECTLY CAUSE LOS3 OF LIFE BY MAJOR DISRUPTION TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

/THESE INVOLVE