XN000022-1993-12-07 — Page 14

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1993

DEPARTMENT WAS

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING ADDRESS OF THE WORKSHOP, THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, SAID THE COMMITTED TO USING THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AS WELL AS ADOPTING A PRUDENT APPROACH BENEFIT OF ANY DOUBT TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND TECHNIQUES THAT GAVE THE

SCIENTIFIC ADVICE WE

HE STRESSED: "WE HAVE A DUTY ΤΟ SEARCH VIGOROUSLY FOR NEW INFORMATION AND NEW TECHNIQUES TO PROVIDE A MORE SOUND BASIS FOR THE ASSESSMENTS WE ARE OBLIGED TO MAKE AND THE ARE OBLIGED TO GIVE.

"IN THE SAME VEIN, WE MUST PROMPT POSSIBLE, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT BETTER ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES.

WHENEVER

AND SUPPORT, IS AIMED AT PROVIDING

HE HOPES THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS, IN SOME ACHIEVED DURING THE WORKSHOP.

MEASURE, COULD BE

THE TECHNIQUES OF THAT THE WORKSHOP

HE SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO LEARNING HOW ECOTOXICOLOGY WERE APPLIED ELSEWHERE, AND HOPED WOULD LEAD TO AN INCREASED FOCUS ON ECOTOXICOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN HONG KONG'S TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS,

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GOVT TO SURVEY TIU KENG LENG COTTAGE AREA

* *

THE GOVERNMENT WILL SURVEY THE ACTUAL FLOOR AREA OF ALL STRUCTURES IN THE COTTAGE AREA OF TIU KENG LENG DUE TO BE CLEARED FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING A SITE FOR 12,000 PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THE SURVEY WOULD FORM PART OF THE EXERCISE CURRENTLY UNDERTAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT то REVIEW THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE (EGA) RATES FOR THE CLEAREES.

"THE DOOR-TO-DOOR SURVEY ALSO PROVIDES UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR CALCULATING THE EGA RATES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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IT WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OVER TWO ΤΟ THREE MONTHS, HE ADDED.

THE SURVEY IS EXPECTED TO START LATER THIS MONTH.

IN ADDITION TO THE EX-GRATIA PAYMENT, ELIGIBLE CLEAREES WILL BE OFFERED ALTERNATE ACCOMMODATION IN THE NEWLY COMPLETED HAU TAK ESTATE IN TSEUNG KWAN O, EARMARKED FOR RESIDENTS OF THE TIU KENG LENG COTTAGE AREA.

"THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS ALSO PREPARED ΤΟ CONSIDER OTHER MEANS TO ASSIST THE CLEAREES TO FIND ALTERNATE ACCOMMODATION.

"THESE WILL INCLUDE REHOUSING IN OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES THEY SO WISH AND OPTIONS TO BUY THEIR OWN FLATS UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IF

WOULD

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AND RELEVANT

DEPARTMENTS

MEANWHILE, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT

ENSURE THAT ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVICES AND GOVERNMENT FACILITIES IN THE AREA WILL BE MAINTAINED BEFORE THE CLEARANCE, NOW TARGETTED TO TAKE PLACE IN EARLY 1995.

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