XN000022-1992-07-28 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1992

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GOVT GIVES CLOSE ATTENTION TO FLOODING

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IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE WORKS BRANCH SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF FLOODING DURING HEAVY RAIN IN LOW-LYING AREAS IN NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES.

A NUMBER OF MEASURES ARE TAKEN TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF FLOODING IN THESE AREAS.

IN THE LONG TERM, THE DRAINAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED A $1.1 BILLION WORKS PROJECT TO WIDEN AND REALIGN KAM TIN RIVER CHANNEL WHICH, ON COMPLETION, WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF THE RIVER TO DIRECT FLOOD WATER FROM THE CATCHMENT AREAS TO DEEP BAY.

FUNDS FOR PHASES I AND II OF THE PROJECT HAVE AND DETAILED DESIGN FOR THE FINAL PHASE IS IN HAND.

THE PROJECT INVOLVES LAND ACQUISITION. THE HANDLING AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE THE STATUTORY DEALING WITH OBJECTIONS ARISING FROM LAND ACQUISITION.

HOWEVER, WORKS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REGIN UNTIL HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH.

BEEN ALLOCATED

DEPARTMENT IS PROCEDURES

FOR

ALL OBJECTIONS

IN

TO HE

IT IS HOPED THAT PHASE # OR THE PROJECT WELL REGIN MID-1993 FOR COMPLETION IN 1997. THE WHOLE PROJECT IS EXPECTED COMPLETED BY 1999, WHICH IS A REALISTIC TARGET DATE FOR A PROJ KOT OF THIS NATURE.

TWO OTHER NEAR LOK MA

THE DRAINAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ALSO WORKING ON SEPARATE PROJECTS TO IMPROVE RIVER CHANNELS, AT SAN TIN CHAU, AND AT AGAU TAM MEI NEAR FAIRVIEW PARK.

ON COMPLETION, THESE WILL FURTHER REDUCE THE RISK IN THE AREAS MENTIONED.

OF FLOODING

IN THE SHORT TERM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED AMENDING THE TOWN PLANNING ORDINANCE TO TIGHTEN CONTROL ON UNAUTHORISED LAND FORMATION WORKS, WHICH OTHERWISE CONTRIBUTE TO FLOODING RISKS DURING HEAVY RAIN.

THE DRAINAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT 18 ALSO EXPERIMENTING WITH FLOOD WARNING SYSTEMS FOR THE RURAL LOW-LYING AREAS.

TRIALS ARE IN PROGRESS OF A SYSTEM WHICH USES SOUNDS WHEN FLOOD WATER REACHES A PRE-DETERMINED DWELLERS OF THE IMMINENT RISK OF FLOODING.

A SIREN, WHICH LEVEL TO WARN

ANOTHER FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM ON A LARGER ARRA BASIS, 18 BEING TRIED OUT AT THE INDUS RIVER BASIN. EXTENSION OF THESE SCHEMES, IF SUCCESSFUL, TO OTHER BASIN ARRAS SUCH AS KAM TIN WELL

BE

CONSIDERED,

THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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