XN000022-1988-08-04 — Page 12

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1988

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MARINE CLEAN-UP OPERATION INTENSIFIED

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, 2,727 TONNES OF FLOATING REFUSE WERE COLLECTED IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

THE FIGURE INDICATES A POSSIBLE UPWARD TREND AS THE AVERAGE ANNUAL FIGURE IN PAST YEARS WAS 4,000 TONNES.

"HONG KONG'S WATER CONTINUES TO SUFFER HEAVILY FROM INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING OF REFUSE, AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING MORE SERIOUS," A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, MR LEUNG CHUN-MING, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

"THE MAIN SOURCE OF REFUSE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE INTENTIONAL ILLEGAL DUMPING OF REFUSE ALONG THE SHORE LINES, AND THE MOST SERIOUS OF THE KIND IS THE PLANNED DISCHARGE OF WASTE BY LORRIES OVER QUIET AREAS OF THE SEAFRONT.

"PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF THE HARBOUR AS A NATURAL WASTE BIN IS ANOTHER PRIME FACTOR THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO,"

MR LEUNG SAID THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN UNDERTAKING A MORE INTENSIVE CLEAN-UP OPERATION OF THE HARBOUR, STARTING IN APRIL,

LAST MONTH IT JOINED THE JOINT URBAN COUNCIL/REGIONAL COUNCIL KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN STEERING COMMITTEE IN ORGANISING A KEEP HARBOUR CLEAN CAMPAIGN AIMED AT APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC'S CONSCIENCE.

"THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CARRIED OUT THREE SPECIAL TYPHOON SHELTER CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS IN CAUSEWAY BAY, ALDRICH BAY AND CHAI WAN FROM APRIL TO JULY," MR LEUNG SAID.

IN THESE OPERATIONS, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYED ITS WATERWITCHES, SAMPANS AND REFUSE RECEPTION VESSEĻS TO CLEAN UP TAX WATERS OF THE BASINS WHILE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WORKERS CLEANED UP THE SEAWALLS AND BREAKWATERS.

"A TOTAL OF 103 TONNES OF REFUSE WAS COLLECTED IN THESE OPERATIONS," HE ADDED.

MR LEUNG SAID SIMILAR OPERATIONS WOULD BE HELD IN THE ABERDEEN TYPHOON SHELTER FROM AUGUST 10 TO 12 AND IN YAU MA TEI TYPHOON SHELTER 1 ROM AUGUST 24 TO 25.

THE CAMPAIGN IS BEING SUPPORTED BY THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD.

A LOCAL CLEAN WATER CAMPAIGN IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 27 AND CLEAN WATER OPERATIONS WILL AGAIN BE CARRIED OUT IN CAUSEWAY BAY, ALDRICH BAY AND CHAI WAN.

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