XN000022-1995-05-03 — Page 79

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Environmental black spots in the New Territories

The following is a question by Rev the Hon Fung Chi-wood and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Canice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the setting up of a task force to tackle and clean up environmental black spots in the New Territories, will the Government inform this Council:

of the actual work done by the task force in the past six months and the achievements made so far;

(a)

(b)

(c)

how the Government will tackle these black spots and what the specific time-frame for action is?

of the classification of the black spots identified, together with a breakdown of these black spots by classification; and

Answer:

Mr President,

Answers to the three-part question are as follows -

(a)

In July 1994, a Black Spots Task Force was set up in the Lands Department to clean up black spots in the New Territories. Since August 1994, the Task Force has been, inter alia,

(i)

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implementing an action plan to bring early and visible improvement to areas identified as being environmentally degraded, initially in the Pat Heung area. So far, 203 government sites comprising 5.2 hectares of land being illegally occupied have been cleared, with 84 of which landscaped. The Central Enforcement and Prosecution Section set up in the Planning Department in July 1994 has been complementing the action of the Task Force by stepping up its enforcement efforts under the Town Planning Ordinance, Cap 131 in the Pat Heung area to ensure maximum impact of Government action;