XN000022-1992-06-05 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1992

HONG

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HK CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

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KONG TODAY (FRIDAY) CELEBRATED THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY (WED) WITH A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO PROTECT THE SEAS AGAINST POLLUTION.

OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE WED ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE (BOC) AT THE EDINBURGH PLACE, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, SAID. "SAVE OUR SEAS" WAS AN APPROPRIATE THEME.

THIS WAS BECAUSE MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS MAGNIFICENT HARBOUR IN GOOD CONDITION WERE ESSENTIAL TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC WELL-BEING AND THE HEALTH OF ITS PEOPLE, HE SAID.

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IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG DESERVES A VERY HIGH PRIORITY AMONG OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMES," MR EASON SAID.

OUTLINING MAJOR STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, MR EASON SAID LIKE MANY OTHER MAJOR CITIES, HONG KONG WAS FINDING ADEQUATE SEWAGE SERVICES DID NOT COME CHEAP.

HE SAID ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIAL

AVAILABLE, MORE WOULD NEED TO BE SPENT.

SUMS HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE

**WE ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERING VARIOUS WAYS OF PAYING FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS BADLY NEEDED PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

"THIS IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO CLEAN UP OUR HARBOUR AND OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECT AND KEEP THESE VALUABLE COMMUNITY ASSETS FOR OUR USE, HE SAID.

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MR EASON POINTED OUT THAT IN MANY MODERN CITIES, USERS, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND ORDINARY RESIDENTS, PAID REASONABLE CHARGES FOR THESE SERVICE AND THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY TOO SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS.

"BETTER THAT WE ALL START TO PAY MODEST AMOUNTS NOW THAN WAIT THE PRICE BECOMES TOO HIGH TO BE AFFORDABLE AND THE PROBLEM UNMANAGEABLE," MR EASON SAID.

UNTIL

SHELVED THE

HE REFUTED SUGGESTIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD OVERALL SEWAGE STRATEGY, "IT HAS NOT BEEN SHELVED AND WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF SHELVING IT," HE ADDED.

"MUCH PRELIMINARY WORK, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF SYSTEMS WHICH NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE BEFORE THE MAJOR ENGINEERING WORK IS DONE AND THE PLANNING AND OTHER PREPARATORY WORK NEEDED AHEAD OF THE MAJOR PROJECT IS BEHIND US OR NOW BEING DONE.

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"WE MUST GET ON WITH IT AND WE INTEND TO, HE ADDED.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, MRS PEGGY LAM, RENEWED HER APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC AND INDUSTRIALISTS TO JOIN HANDS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SEA POLLUTION.

/SHE URGED