XN000022-1987-04-21 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1987

MR WONG NOTED THAT THE SURVEY WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY THIS YEAR BUT HAD BEEN POSTPONED TO THIS MONTH AFTER THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL AS SUGGESTED BY THE TWO OYSTER ASSOCIATIONS ON THE GROUNDS OF TIDAL CONDITIONS IN DEEP BAY AND THAT THE LUNAR NEW YEAR PERIOD SHOULD BE AVOID AS IT WAS THE HARVESTING SEASON FOR THE INDUSTRY.

HOWEVER, MR WONG STRESSED THAT THE FORTHCOMING SURVEY WOULD BE A ONE-OFF EXERCISE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO CONDUCT PROMPTLY BECAUSE ANY DELAY OR SL IPPAGE OF THE TIN SHU! WAI DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE IN VIEW OF THE TIGHT SCHEDULE OF CONTRACT AND PUBLIC FUNDS INVOLVED.

MR WONG URGED ALL OYSTER FARMERS AFFECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY, ADDING THAT THOSE WHO FAILED TO DO SO WOULD RISK FORFEITING THE IR CLAIMS FOR EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES.

MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF ACTIVELY CULTIVATED OYSTER BEDS OPPOSITE MONG TSENG WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CHANNEL, AND MOST OYSTER BEDS IN DEEP BAY WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE PROJECT.

+ INNER DEEP BAY WHICH IS INTENSELY CULTIVATED FOR OYSTERS, HAS BEEN DEL IBERATELY EXCLUDED FROM THE MARINE BORROW AREA,+ HE SAID.

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REGARDING THE DEEP BAY MARINE BORROW AREA, MR WONG NOTED THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS FIRST ENDORSED BY THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT BOARD IN JUNE 1985 AND SINCE THEN THERE HAD BEEN MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OYSTER ASSOCIATIONS AND A WIDE RANGE OF CONSULTATION,

THE DECISION TO RECOMMEND DEEP BAY AS A MARINE BORROW AREA (HENCE THE MARINE CLEARANCE OF OYSTER BED FOR THE CHANNEL) WAS MADE AFTER PROLONGED DELIBERATION BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED, HAVING CONSIDERED THAT OBTAINING THE REQUIRED QUANTITY OF FILL FROM THERE IS MORE PRACTICAL, ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE THAN OBTAINING LAND-BASED FILL OR OTHER

OPTIONS.

IT WOULD ALSO AVOID PROBLEMS SUCH AS CLEARANCES, LAND RESUMPTION, NUISANCE AND FUNG SHU! ASSOCIATED WITH OBTAINING EARTH FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES, HE ADDED.

SOME 12 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF FILL WAS REQUIRED TO COVER THE FISH PONDS AND LOW LYING AREAS OF TIN SHUI WAI AS PART OF THE LAND FORMATION WORK, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DEVEOP INTO A NEW TOWN TO INITIALLY ACCOMMODATE A POPULATION OF 146 500 IN THE 1990'S.

THE FIRST PLOT OF LAND FOR PUBLIC HOUSING IS EXPECTED TO BECOME AVAILABLE IN TIN SHUI WAI IN LATE 1988, AND THE FIRST INTAKE OF TENANTS WILL TAKE PLACE IN EARLY 1991, TO BE FOLLOWED BY PRIVATED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

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