XN000022-1997-04-09 — Page 56

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Slope upgrading works near schools are underway

Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Works, Mr Kwong Hon-sang, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

At the LegCo sitting on 5 June last year, I raised an oral question on potentially hazardous slopes and substandard slopes situated within or in the vicinity of school boundaries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

Mr President,

(a)

of the schools which still have hazardous slopes within or in the vicinity of their boundaries, and how does the number of these schools compare with that provided by the Administration in its reply to the above question last year;

of the slope maintenance works in connection with the schools mentioned in the reply to (a) above which would be completed before the onset of the rainy season this year; and in regard to those slope maintenance works in connection with these schools which are not expected to be completed before this year's rainy season, of the reasons for such works not being completed on schedule and the specific timetable for their completion; and

whether, under the Government's current policy on carrying out maintenance works on hazardous slopes, high priority will be given to maintaining hazardous slopes in the vicinity of schools; if not, why not; and of the categories of maintenance works on hazardous slopes which have to be carried out as a matter of priority?

We have completed a selection exercise in January this year for all slopes affecting the 435 schools on the list provided by the Education Department last year. Detailed studies on the selected slopes are now underway and substandard cases have been identified from some of the completed studies. As the detailed studies progress, more substandard cases may be discovered.

In June 1996, five schools were known to be affected by substandard government slopes. Slope upgrading works at four of these schools have been completed. Another eight schools are now known to be affected by substandard government slopes making a total of nine cases.