XN000022-1988-12-09 — Page 13

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1988

FUNDS SOUGHT TO EASE TRAFFIC NOISE PROBLEMS AT SCHOOLS

THE GOVERNMENT WILL SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE FINANCE TO EMBARK ON A SECOND STAGE OF THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROGRAMME WITH SCHOOLS AFFECTED BY TRAFFIC NOISE.

COMMITTEE TO DEAL

MANPOWER,

THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MR CHRIS GODWIN, SAID THIS TODAY (FRIDAY) AT A MEETING WITH A GROUP OF PARENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN OVER TRAFFIC NOISE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE LUI CHEUNG KWONG LUTHERAN COLLEGE.

THE GROUP, LED BY TUEN MUN DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, MR CHAN MOU- POU AND MR YEUNG SHUCK-CHUEN, MET WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

MR GODWIN SAID: "WE ARE SYMPATHETIC TO THE PROBLEM FACED BY THE SCHOOL.

"SINCE 1987, WE HAVE BEEN TACKLING, AS A FIRST STAGE, SCHOOLS AFFECTED BY AIRCRAFT NOISE. WE ARE NOW SEEKING THE APPROVAL FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO EMBARK ON A SECOND STAGE OF THE PROGRAMME.

MR GODWIN EXPLAINED THAT THE FIRST STAGE, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR FOUR YEARS, WAS NOW EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED NEXT YEAR, ONE YEAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

"THE SECOND STAGE WAS NOT DUE TO BEGIN UNTIL 1991, BUT SUBJECT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL, WE SHALL PLAN FOR AN EARLIER START OF THE STAGE II PROGRAMME," HE SAID.

"UNFORTUNATELY, FUNDS AND OTHER RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, AND

IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TREAT EVERY SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME.

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"ONCE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL HAS BEEN OBTAINED, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS FIELD SURVEY ΤΟ VERIFY THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE TRAFFIC NOISE PROBLEM IN EACH AFFECTED SCHOOL, AND SCHOOLS WILL BE LISTED IN PRIORITY ORDER.

"WE HOPE TO COMPLETE TREATMENT OF ALL SCHOOLS WITH A NOISE LEVEL ABOUT 75 DECIBELS BY THE END OF 1992.

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