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The Oriental Daily News noted that the study report on the Daya Bay plant carried out by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority consisted of five parts and the part on contingency planning announced by the Government yesterday was the only part that had been made public.
Many papers, in headlines and in their reports, highlighted a
such point in the Harwell report that planning for extreme measures, as evacuation, was not required. Pointing out that HK needed only to consider the consequences that might arise at more than 25 kilometres from the power station, the report advised that at such distances there was a consensus of international opinion that there would only exist a need for monitoring and perhaps control of foodstuffs.
Ming Pao highlighted a proposal in the report that the Government should set up an emergency unit to assess possible damages in case of an accident at the Daya Bay plant and to co-ordinate protective measures. The paper, together with Sing Tao Jih Pao, published a diagram showing the structure of the unit.
The papers noted that the report had proposed the setting up of a radiation protection advisory group to provide independent advice on the risks associated with a possible accident at Daya Bay.
The report on contingency planning stated that to ensure that HK was promptly informed of any emergency at the Daya Bay plant, an agreement should be reached with the Chinese authorities for the installation of a reliable communications link between the Royal Observatory and the Daya Bay control centre.
The press conference given by the Secretary for Economic Services, Anson Chan, yesterday in relation to the announcement of the report on contingency planning was reported in the papers in good news and pictorial coverage.
According to Mrs Chan, following discussions by Government departments concerned, it was believed that there should not be any difficulties in implementing contingency plans proposed in the report. She said that the Government would draw up a contingency plan according to the guidance in the report in about one year's time.
Mrs Chan was quoted as saying that HK and the Chinese had agreed in principle to set up a reliable communications system. She said that it might not be an appropriate measure for the Government to send officials to station at the Daya Bay plant.
In separate reports, the papers said that the Legco ad hoc group on the Daya Bay project had supported recommendations in the Harwell
report.
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