XN000022-1988-12-11 — Page 15

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1988

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CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO COMBAT POLLUTION OF SHING MUN RIVER

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAD RECORDED SLIGHT BUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TO THE POLLUTION SITUATION AT SHING MUN RIVER, ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER (DEVELOPMENT) OF SHA TIN, MISS MARGARET FONG, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE SHA TIN COMMUNITY DAY CAMP IN WU KAJ SHA THIS MORNING, MISS FONG SAID GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLLUTION OF SHING MUN RIVER AND WAS RESOLVED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM.

"AS PART OF THE SHORT TERM MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SHING MUN RIVER, A $7 MILLION PROJECT IS PLANNED FOR 1989/90 TO DREDGE THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SHING MUN RIVER, SHE SAID.

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IMPROVEMENT MEASURES UNDERWAY AT THE RIVER INCLUDE A MINOR DREDGING CONTRACT OF $1.5 MILLION CENTRING MAINLY AROUND LEK YUEN BRIDGE AND FO TAN AS WELL AS A $450,000 PROJECT FOR DESILTING TAI WAI BOX CULVERT.

SHE NOTED THAT GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO COMMITTED LONG-TERM MEASURES COSTING SOME $770 MILLION IN THE TO REDUCE POLLUTION IN THE RIVER.

ΤΟ CARRYING OUT NEXT FIVE YEARS

"THESE INCLUDE THE SLUDGE EXPORT SCHEME UNDER WHICH A TWIN PIPE WILL BE LAID BENEATH SHING MUN RIVER ΤΟ TRANSPORT THICKENED SLUDGE TO THE SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS TO BE CONTAINED FOR DISPOSAL AT SEA," SHE SAID.

"ANOTHER PROJECT, WHICH WILL COMMENCE IN EARLY 1989 FOR COMPLETION IN EARLY 1993 IS THE EXPORT OF TREATED EFFLUENTS FROM THE SHA TIN SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS TO KAI TAK NULLAH ΤΟ REDUCE THE NITROGEN LEVEL IN THE RIVER.

"MOREOVER, TO DIVERT SEWAGE FROM UNSEWERED AREAS TO THE SHA TIN SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS, DRY WEATHER SEWER INTERCEPTORS WILL BE INSTALLED AT THE TAI WAI SECTION OF THE RIVER."

ON LEGISLATIVE CONTROL, MISS FONG POINTED OUT THAT FROM JUNE 24, 1988, THE BREEDING OF LIVESTOCK IN NEW TOWNS WAS BANNED UNDER THE WASTE DISPOSAL (LIVESTOCK WASTE) REGULATIONS.

THE WASTE POLLUTION CONTROL {GENERAL} REGULATIONS PASSED ON APRIL 1 THIS YEAR ALSO ENSURES THAT EFFLUENT DISCHARGE FROM SHA TIN'S FACTORIES BE CONNECTED TO PROPER SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, SHE SAID.

MORE THAN 200 REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, OWNERS' CORPORATIONS, VILLAGES, RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS, AREA COMMITTEES AND YIN NGAL SOCIETIES ENJOYED THEMSELVES AT THE SHA, TIN COMMUNITY DAY CAMP AT THE WU KAI SHA YOUTH CAMP TODAY.

/ORGANISED BY