XN000022-1993-03-03 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1993

IN 1992, THE DIVISION DEALT WITH 2,705 REGISTRATIONS, OF WHICH 164 WERE FROM VISUALLY-IMPAIRED PERSONS.

OUT OF THE 1,366 WHO WERE SUCCESSFULLY PLACED INTO JOBS COMPATIBLE WITH THEIR ABILITY AND APTITUDE, 33 WERE VISUALLY-IMPAIRED.

MRS WONG ALSO SAID ACCORDING TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY FOR REHABILITATION, THERE WERE SOME 5,170 VISUALLY – IMPAIRED PERSONS AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 65 AS AT THE END OF 1992.

AND BASED ON THE EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS FROM TWO LEADING NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS SERVING VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE IN EMPLOYMENT, SHE ADDED.

OFFICE SET UP TO MONITOR WEST KOWLOON RECLAMATION

AND

AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT OFFICE HAS BEEN SET UP TO MONITOR ADVISE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS FOR THE WEST KOWLOON RECLAMATION PROJECT.

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THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, IN WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON JAMES TO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR BLAKE SAID WITH STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND CLOSE SITE SUPERVISION, IT WAS EXPECTED THAT MITIGATION MEASURES TAKEN WOULD GREATLY ABATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION DURING CONSTRUCTION.

THESE MEASURES INCLUDED THE USE OF QUIET PLANT AND NOISE BARRIERS, AND CONTROL MEASURES SUCH AS WATERING OF EXPOSED SITE SURFACES, USE OF WHEEL AND VEHICLE BODY WASHING, COVERING OF SPOIL VEHICLES TO REDUCE DUST LEVEL.

MR BLAKE SAID THERE WAS NO DETERIORATING SEWERAGE PROBLEM IN THE WEST KOWLOON WHILE RECLAMATION WORKS WERE IN PROGRESS. INSTEAD, WATER QUALITY IN THE WATER RECEPTION AREA THERE WAS IMPROVING.

THE WATER QUALITY WOULD BE FURTHER IMPROVED WITH THE COMPLETION OF TWO DRY WEATHER FLOW (DWF) INTERCEPTORS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AND A FURTHER 10 DWF INTERCEPTORS BY THE END OF 1994.

"THE REMAINING POLLUTANT LOAD IN THE STORM DRAINS WILL BE DEALT WITH BY THE REMOVAL OF ALL EXPEDIENT CONNECTIONS IN THE AREA, AND WHEN CONTROL UNDER THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE IS EXTENDED TO THE VICTORIA HARBOUR WATER CONTROL ZONE AFTER 1995, HE ADDED.

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