TNAG-1729-FCO40-2442-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 202

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MR.

CHEONG-LEEN : Sir, the Secretary for Health and

Welfare just said that the southern waters of the Island

would be declared a controlled zone sometime in October

this year, which would be somewhat towards the end of the

swimming season. As he is aware also, the Rocky Bay Beach

has been declared as unfit for swimming by the Urban

Council. What measures and support will be given by

Government to the Urban Council to ensure that the other

beaches, particularly Repulse Bay Beach and Middle Bay

Beach, will not deteriorate further this year, so that the

beaches, at least for this year, can still be patronised by

swimmers?

stormwater

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE : Sir, I referred to the

short-term work to intercept and divert the

drains, particularly at Repulse Bay, which should, I hope,

have some effect in the course of this year. Once we

declare the southern waters a water control zone, it will

then be a question of identifying particular problems

arising from particular developments and serving notices

on the owners to rectify the problems. This is something

which we hope to get on to very quickly, once the water

control zone has been declared, but I am afraid it will

take some time for action to be taken under these orders

and I do not really think we can offer much hope of any

significant improvement this summer.