XN000022-1991-12-18 — Page 16

14

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1991

NEW LEGISLATION ON LAND DRAINAGE TO TACKLE SILTING PROBLEM

DRAINAGE SILTING,

THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARING A NEW LEGISLATION ON LAND AS PART OF ITS LONG TERM MEASURES TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR BOWEN LEUNG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON STEPHEN NG MING-YUM, MR LEUNG SAID AS MOST OF THE WATERCOURSES IN THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES WERE IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP, ATTEMPTS BY DEPARTMENTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO MAINTAIN THESE WATERCOURSES BEEN FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THE RELUCTANCE OF THE OWNERS ACCESS.

"THE NEW BILL WILL SEEK TO EMPOWER THE DEPARTMENTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO PRIVATE LAND FOR WATERCOURSE MAINTENANCE.

GOVERNMENT HAD OFTEN то PERMIT

CONCERNED

"WE HOPE TO INTRODUCE THE BILL TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, HE SAID.

**

MR LEUNG SAID THE ADMINISTRATION HAD RECKONED THAT THE LONG TERM STRUCTURAL SOLUTION TO THE SILTING PROBLEM WAS ΤΟ UNDERTAKE ⠀ MAJOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT AND FLOOD PROTECTION SCHEMES IN AFFECTED AREAS.

"SOME $580 MILLION HAVE THEREFORE BEEN SPENT IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS IN MAJOR FLOOD PROTECTION WORKS IN TIN SHUI WAI AND YUEN LONG AREAS, HE SAID.

THESE INCLUDED TAI RIVER DIVERSION CULVERT, IMPROVEMENT TO WESTERN DRAINAGE CHANNEL AND EASTERN CULVERT, FLOOD PUMPING SCHEMES FOR KIU TAU WAI, SIK KONG TSUEN, SIK KONG WAI, LO UK TSUEN, HA 'MEI SAN TSUEN AND SHEUNG CHEUNG WAI.

TO

MR LEUNG SAID A $125.3 MILLION FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE CHANNELS NEAR HUNG UK TSUEN, FU SHA WAI, ΤΑΙ ΤΟ TSUEN, TIN SAM, SIK KONG WAI, TSEUNG KONG WAI, HUNG SHUI KIU AND TAN KWAI TSUEN WAS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY MID-1992.

"IN ADDITION, THERE ARE LONG TERM PLANS, COSTING SOME $1.233 MILLION, TO IMPROVE THE EXISTING MAJOR RIVERS AND TO CONSTRUCT MORE CHANNELS TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF SILTING AND FLOODING IN YUEN LONG, KAM TIN, NGAU TAM MEI AND SAN TIN AREAS.

FOR

FOR

WAI

"WORKS WILL START PROGRESSIVELY FROM AUGUST 1992 COMPLETION BY 1998. DETAILED PLANNING AND DESIGN ARE ALSO IN HAND VILLAGE FLOOD PROTECTION WORKS AT HA MEI SAN TSUEN, SHEUNG CHEUNG AND AT YUEN LONG AND KAM ΤΙΝ AREAS, COSTING ALTOGETHER SOME $412 MILLION, HE SAID.

*

MR LEUNG ALSO OUTLINED THE THREE MAIN MEASURES THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF SILTING. THEY ARE:

/* STRICTER CONTROLS