XN000022-1991-10-09 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1991

HE POINTED OUT THAT WE MUST STOP TREATING THE WATERS AROUND HONG KONG AS A DUMPING GROUND FOR SEWAGE AND CHEMICAL WASTE.

**EVERY YEAR WE DISCHARGE OVER 700 MILLION TONNES OF UNTREATED SEWAGE AND CHEMICAL WASTE INTO OUR STREAMS AND COASTAL WATERS. MUCH OF THIS GOES STRAIGHT INTO THE HARBOUR," HE SAID.

ΤΟ SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME HAD BEEN LAUNCHED ΤΟ UPGRADE CHEMICAL WASTE, SEWAGE AND REFUSE DISPOSAL FACILITIES, SIR DAVID SAID.

"SOLVING LONG-STANDING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IS VERY EXPENSIVE; BUT, DESPITE OUR SEVERE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, WE MUST AND WILL PRESS AHEAD.

"OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ALONE, WE HAVE COMMITTED SOME

即申

$8 BILLION TO THIS CRUCIAL PROGRAMME, HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID SAID NEW LEGISLATIVE CONTROLS WERE ALSO NEEDED.

MEASURES

THIS SESSION, THE COUNCIL WOULD BE ASKED TO CONSIDER TO TIGHTEN THE LEGISLATION ON AIR AND WATER POLLUTION AND TO CONSIDER NEW PROPOSALS FOR CONTROLLING TOXIC WASTE.

NOTING THAT POLLUTION WAS NO RESPECTER OF BOUNDARIES, SIR DAVÍÐ SAID IF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS WERE TO SUCCEED, WE NEEDED ΤΟ WORK CLOSELY WITH THE NEIGHBOURS IN GUANGDONG.

"GRADUALLY WE ARE BUILDING UP THE HABIT AND THE MECHANISMS FOR DOING THIS. THE HONG KONG GUANGDONG ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION LIAISON GROUP HAS A FULL AGENDA IN THE YEAR AHEAD, HE SAID.

"FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PLANS TO IMPROVE THE TREATMENT OF SRWADK DEPEND ON CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 10 KILOMETRE SUBMARINE PIPELINE.

"AND THE LIAISON GROUP HAS SET UP A JOINT TEAM OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS TO RECOMMEND CONTROL MEASURES TO STOP THE GROWING POLLUTION OF DEEP BAY," SIR DAVID SAID.

THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT WAS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF GOVERNMENT OR EVEN PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS.

"SOMETIMES, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE AT RELATIVELY LITTLE COST. MORE EMPHASIS CAN BE GIVEN IN OUR SCHOOLS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WITHOUT ANY RADICAL CHANGES TO THE CURRICULUM.

"MAKING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CONSCIOUS OF THE ENVIRONMENT THEY LIVE IS VITAL IF WE ARE TO ACHIEVE A "GREENER" HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID.

IN

"IN ADDITION, MORE PRIVATE COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS COULD INTRODUCE INITIATIVES TO SAVE ENERGY AND PAPER. AND MORE TREE- PLANTING COULD BE ENCOURAGED BY DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE URBAN AREAS.

/"SOME DISTRICTS