Appendix D-Contd.
62 As regards environmental improvement, the ten-year waste disposal programme was revised during 1986 to bring it into line with current policy and developments. New facilities introduced into the programme are the Kowloon Bay refuse transfer station required to replace both the Jordan Valley landfill and the Lai Chi Kok incinerator in 1989; a refuse transfer station at Chai Wan where the possibility of major involvement of private sector capital is being considered; the Nim Wan south landfill as a replacement for the Pillar Point valley landfill in 1988 and the north east New Territories landfill needed to replace the Shuen Wan landfill in 1990. Consultants have been commissioned to prepare environmental impact assessments of the proposed sanitary landfill sites at Nim Wan ($7 million) and in the north east New Territories ($8 million). A significant project scheduled to start in 1987-88 is the preparatory works and associated access road for the controlled tipping of refuse at Nim Wan-initial phase ($130 million).
63 Site searches have been initiated to find a suitable location for a transfer station to replace the Kennedy Town incinerator, and one to provide an increased capacity for the transfer of wastes in west Kowloon. Sites are also being sought for transfer stations in Sha Tin, Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun with a view to minimizing overall transportation and disposal costs and improving environmental standards. Where suitable locations and facilities have been established, appropriate items will be included in the Public Works Programme. In the meantime, the installation of electrostatic precipitators at the Kennedy Town incinerator ($27 million) has been completed while the sanitary landfill sites at Ma Yau Tong and Siu Lang Shui have reached their capacity and restoration works are substantially complete. Site preparation works for the Junk Bay stage II, phase I sanitary landfill ($70 million) and the installation of electrostatic precipitators at the Lai Chi Kok incinerator, plant A ($42 million) have started.
64 Work has also commenced on updating the ten-year sewage treatment and disposal programme with a view to improving the condition of the waters surrounding the territory. In this respect, the north west Kowloon sewage treatment and disposal project ($600 million) which is a major project to improve the condition of the harbour in the area of north west Kowloon will start in 1987-88. This includes the provision of screening plants, interceptor sewers, pumping mains, sewage treatment works and a sewage outfall west of Stonecutters Island. In addition, three studies have started that will have a significant bearing on the provision of sewerage infrastructure elsewhere in the territory. One is the development of a master plan for sewerage, sewage treatment and disposal for east Kowloon ($17 million) that will identify a series of major and minor works aimed at a much needed improvement of water quality in the area of the eastern harbour. The second is the north west New Territories sewerage study ($2.5 million) which will involve the preparation of a scheme for the disposal of sewage from the Yuen Long District in order to facilitate the full development of Tin Shui Wai New Town. The third study involves the development of a hydraulic and water quality model ($18 million) to be used as a tool for investigating and ensuring that new reclamations and other developments do not lead to an unacceptable deterioration of water quality in Victoria Harbour.
65 In the urban area, substantial progress has been made on the six new screening plants and outfalls under construction around the harbour ($258 million) including in particular the Kwun Tong ($158 million) and Sham Shui Po ($64 million) screening plants. In the new towns, the Junk Bay phase I sewage disposal works ($295 million) has been substantially completed while stage II of the Sha Tin permanent sewage treatment works ($353 million) and stage IVA of the Tai Po sewage treatment works ($205 million) were completed and commissioned. 66 A major programme to improve the environment, namely the implementation of controls on the storage and disposal of animal wastes will commence in 1987–88. The estimated cost for the ten-year programme (1987-88 to 1996-97) will be over $440 million and, of this, over $70 million will probably be required in 1987–88. As a result of the controls to be introduced in 1987-88, pig and chicken rearing will be banned on some 1 450 farms in the urban and new towns areas and control measures will be implemented on some 1 350 farms in the Tolo Harbour and River Indus catchments where the problem of pollution caused by animal wastes is particularly acute. 67 As regards air pollution, the first two of the projected air control zones (Kwai Chung-Tsuen Wan and Harbour) were declared and overall air quality objectives were promulgated during 1986. Air quality management plans covering mobile and stationary source emission will be prepared for these two control zones during 1987 with a view to meeting statutory air quality objectives for these zones. In order to support these activities, it will be necessary to expand significantly air monitoring coverage to provide the basis for further control zones. In 1987-88, two additional stations will be established for this purpose in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan.
68 With the development of the new towns, various recreation, culture and amenities projects are provided to keep pace with the needs of the growing community. Completed major projects include 'Swimming pool complex, area 16, Tuen Mun' ($38 million) which is soon to be extended by a further phase. Projects underway include 'Tuen Mun town park, area 34, phase IIB works' ($23 million) and 'Tso Kung Tam park, stage I' ($56 million). Major facilities to start in 1987-88 include 'Indoor recreation centre in area 16, Tuen Mun' ($24 million), 'Tai Po swimming pool, area 22, phase I' ($31 million) and 'Cheung Chau market complex' ($41 million).
(E) Social Services
69 The Social Services group of programmes is made up of education, medical, housing, social welfare and labour services. Expenditure in 1987-88 is forecast to be $24,542 million compared with $21,877 million in 1986-87—an increase of 12.2%. It is not only the biggest of the programme areas, it is also the fastest growing.
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