XN000022-1988-05-29 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1988

THE

ONE OF THE MORE RECENT CHANGES WAS

ESTABLISHMENT IN NOVEMBER 1986 OF A SMALL TASK FORCE TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION.

THE DRAINAGE UNIT WAS FORMED TO DEAL WITH MAJOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN EXISTING BUILDINGS, WITH THE INTENTION OF REMOVING OR ALLEVIATING POLLUTION IN WATERCOURSES CAUSED BY THE UNAUTHORISED DISCHARGE OF EFFLUENTS AND WASTE FROM INDUSTRIAL PREMISES.

A

THIS HAS THE DIRECT EFFECT OF MAKING A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION ΤΟ IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT, A SUBJECT THAT HAS BEEN OF PARTICULAR INTEREST AND CONCERN TO MR LAWRENCE, WHO IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS AS DISTRICT ENGINEER IN UGANDA, EAST AFRICA, WAS IN CHARGE

OF BUILDING

WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS.

MR LAWRENCE SAID SOME OF THE WORST POLLUTERS OF OUR WATERCOURSES ARE INDUSTRIES SET UP IN BUILDINGS DESIGNED WITHOUT SUITABLE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.

"ALTHOUGH THE UNIT'S AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY COVERS INVESTIGATION, AND THE SERVICE AND ENFORCEMENT OF ORDERS, IT PREFERS TO CARRY OUT ITS TASK BY PERSUASION RATHER THAN BY PROSECUTION, HE SAID.

FOR

"AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, MANY LARGE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS OFFENDING INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING DYEING FACTORIES, ARE NOW INSTALLED.

BEING

"THESE PLANTS, SOME COSTING OVER $1 MILLION, WILL ENABLE THE FACTORIES TO TREAT THEIR LIQUID EFFLUENTS ΤΟ THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE, ACIDITY AND ALKALINITY LEVEL BEFORE DISPOSAL THROUGH GOVERNMENT FOUL SEWERS.

SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT, THE UNIT HAS MADE A TOTAL OF 2,500 INSPECTIONS, AND ISSUED 350 WARNING LETTERS TO ESTABLISHMENTS FOUND TO BE DISCHARGING DANGEROUS LIQUID EFFLUENT ILLEGALLY, USUALLY VIA IMPROPER CONNECTIONS INTO STORM WATER DRAINS.

ANOTHER SPECIALIST TASK FORCE SET UP BY MR LAWRENCE IS THE DANGEROUS SIGNS UNIT, WHICH HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH REMOVING DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIGNS TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT COLLAPSE AND CAUSE DAMAGE OR INJURY.

IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF OPERATION, ACTION BY THE UNIT RESULTED IN THE REMOVAL OR REPAIR OF 2,181 SIGNS. IT HAS COMPLETED SURVEYS IN 19 URBAN LOCATIONS TO SEEK OUT AND REMOVE DANGEROUS

SIGNS, AND SIMILAR SURVEYS IN 20 MORE URBAN LOCATIONS WILL BE CARRIED OUT THIS YEAR.

"SOME OF