XN000022-1993-12-01 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1993

3

LANDMARK DAY IN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY

本章

THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND

MOTION

DEBATE ON

TONY

IN HISTORY

THE

OF

LANDS, MR SEWAGE CHARGES EASON, DESCRIBED AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THAT TODAY WAS A LANDMARK DAY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN HONG KONG.

SAID

THE GOVERNMENT

WAS

TO FUSH

FORWARD

A

READY HE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME TO TACKLE WATER POLLUTION.

ITS

READINESS;

INDUSTRY AND WITH

COMMUNITY THE

HAS SIGNALLED COMMERCE ARE FACING UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, THE MEDIA ARE IT AND MANY LEGCO MEMBERS TOO, HE SAID.

THE

HE SAID MEMBERS SHOWED SUPPORT FOR THE POLLUTER-PAYS PRINCIPLE, NOT JUST AS A MATTER OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, BUT AS A MESSAGE TO WORLD THAT THEY WERE TAKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY.

ON THE SEWAGE CHARGING SCHEME, MR EASON SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD CHARGES DOWN TO ALMOST MADE

EFFORTS TO KEEP DOMESTIC DETERMINED NOMINAL LEVELS.

WATER SUPPLY CHARGING REVENUE,

HOUSEHOLDS CONSUME MORE THAN 50 PER CENT OF THE AND WILL BE CONTRIBUTING ONLY 30 PER CENT OF THE WHILE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WILL CONTRIBUTE 60 PER CENT.

HE SAID TO PERMIT FURTHER EXEMPTIONS WOULD BE TO MOVE FROM THE POLLUTER-PAYS PRINCIPLE AS TO NEGATE IT.

SO FAR

HE SAID THERE WAS NO SUGGESTION THAT DOMESTIC USERS WERE TO CRITICISED OR PENALISED FOR USING THE SEWAGE SERVICE.

BE

"THEIR NEED FOR IT IS A FACT OF LIFE, BUT IT DOES COST MONEY TO PROVIDE AND HAS TO BE PAID FOR.

"TO EXEMPT ONE MAJOR GROUP OF USERS WOULD LOAD THE COSTS OTHERS AND WOULD WITHOUT DOUBT MAKE ALL THOSE NOW WILLING TO PAY SECOND THOUGHTS,' HE SAID.

**

ONTO

HAVE

THE CHARGING HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN THOROUGH CONSULTATION ON PROPOSALS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS BRIEFED THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AFFAIRS PANEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE LEGCO ENVIRONMENTAL

THE MAIN TWICE, MAJOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS, POLITICAL GROUPS AS WELL AS THE MAIN GREEN GROUPS AND DISTRICT BOARDS,

A NUMBER OF

INTERVIEWS AND

"WE HAVE GIVEN NUMEROUS TELEVISION AND PRESS FARTICIPATED IN RADIO PHONE-IN PROGRAMMES AND RTHK PANEL DISCUSSIONS.

THE

"MOREOVER,

IN

DISTRIBUTED ALL THIS

HAS

WE HAVE ARRANGED THE BROADCAST OF ANNOUNCEMENTS PUBLIC INTEREST ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, AND WE HAVE 100,000 PAMPHLETS EXPLAINING THE CHARGING SCHEME. GENERATED SUBSTANTIAL MEDIA COVERAGE."

/HE ALSO