XN000022-1994-09-30 — Page 10

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1994

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TO ENFORCE THE LICENSING SCHEME.

THE VICTORIA HARBOUR WILL BE DECLARED A WCZ IN THREE PHASES BY 1996. THIS WILL COMPLETE THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO ESTABLISH 10 WATER CONTROL ZONES IN HONG KONG.

THE NINE OTHER WATER CONTROL ZONES ARE TOLO HARBOUR AND CHANNEL, SOUTHERN WATERS, PORT SHELTER, JUNK BAY, DEEP BAY, MIRS

BAY, NORTH WESTERN WATERS, EASTERN BUFFER AND WESTERN BUFFER AREAS.

THE NEED TO DECLARE THE VICTORIA HARBOUR A WCZ IN THREE PHASES STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DISCHARGES IS LARGER THAN THE NUMBER PUT TOGETHER IN THE NINE ZONES.

INVESTIGATIONS INTO KWUN LUNG LAU

LANDSLIDE PROGRESSING WELL

* *

THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, TODAY (FRIDAY) SAID TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE KWUN LUNG LAU LANDSLIDE WERE PROGRESSING WELL.

IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES, MR BLAKE POINTED OUT THAT THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF INVESTIGATIONS, INCLUDING SITE INVESTIGATIONS, LABORATORY TESTS AND THE ANALYSES OF THE TEST RESULTS WOULD BE COMPLETED IN EARLY OCTOBER AS PLANNED.

ALL THE INFORMATION WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PROFESSOR NORBERT MORGENSTERN WHO WAS APPOINTED ΤΟ CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT, HE ADDED.

MR BLAKE SAID SUCH INFORMATION WOULD ENABLE PROFESSOR MORGENSTERN TO PROCEED WITH HIS OWN REPORT FOR DELIVERY BY THE END NOVEMBER.

OF

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HOUSE COMMITTEE'S DECISION ON SETTING UP A SELECT COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE INTO THE KWUN LUNG LAU LANDSLIDE, MR BLAKE SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THEY RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING THE TECHNICAL ENQUIRIES AND HAVING THE DETAILED EXPERT REPORTS BE MADE AVAILABLE BEFORE ESTABLISHING THE CAUSES AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE QUESTION OF ANY

RESPONSIBILITY.

WOULD MAKE ITS

HE REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL DECISION ON WHETHER A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY WAS NECESSARY AFTER RECEIVING THE EXPERT REPORTS, INCLUDING THE ONE то BE SUBMITTED BY PROFESSOR MORGENSTERN.

"I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE ROUGHLY RUNNING IN MOMENT, MR BLAKE SAID,

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PARALLEL AT THE

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