XN000022-1992-02-19 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1992

$236 MILLION PAID OUT FOR CROP COMPENSATION

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COMPENSATION PAID FOR CROPS AND FRUIT TREES BETWEEN APRIL 1. 1986 TO MARCH 31 LAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF RESUMPTION AND CLEARANCE OF CROWN LAND AMOUNTED TO $236 MILLION, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO THE HON TAM YTU-CHUNG, MR BARNES SAID THE AMOUNT, COMPRISING $217.9 MILLION FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND $18 MILLION FOR THE URBAN AREA, INCLUDED EX-GRATIA DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCE PAID TO CULTIVATORS.

HAD

THE CRITERIA FOR PAYMENT ARE GENERALLY THAT THE CROPS EXISTED AT THE DATE OF THE PRE-CLEARANCE SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY STAFF OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, AND THAT THE LAND CONCERNED BEEN CULTIVATED FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE PRE-CLEARANCE SURVEY.

TH

THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT IN EACH CASE IS ASSESSED BY STAFF OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WHILE THE RATE OF PAYMENT

IS REVIEWED AND UPDATED PERIODICALLY UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, HE SAID.

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GOVT EFFORTS IN MITIGATING SMELLS IN OPEN NULLAHS

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THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MITIGATING IN OPEN NULLAHS.

THAT SMELLS

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON JAMES ΤΟ KUN-SUN, MR BARNES SAID THE DRAINAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE NULLAHS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE HYDRAULICALLY EFFECTIVE.

"THIS IS DONE BY CONDUCTING REGULAR INSPECTIONS AND IMPLEMENTING DESILTING AND DESLUDGING PROGRAMMES," HE SAID.

MR BARNES ALSO SAID THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) HAD ENGAGED CONSULTANTS ΤΟ CARRY OUT SEWERAGE MASTER PLAN STUDIES WHICH INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DRY-WEATHER-FLOW INTERCEPTION SCHEMES TO REMOVE EXPEDIENT CONNECTIONS OF SEWAGE TO THE NULLAHS.

"ON COMPLETION OF THESE STUDIES, FIRST AID MEASURES ARE IMPLEMENTED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, WHICH ACHIEVE SOME LIMITED AND TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT TO THE NULLAHS, WHILST THE RECOMMENDED UPGRADING SCHEMES ARE IMPLEMENTED IN STAGES," HE SAID.

SEWERAGE

/FOR NULLAHS