Page 103 of 154
173
172
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## Progress of the Project
Subsequent to a study tour on the world's leading Planetaria in North America and Europe in August 1975, the Project Architect, Mr. Thomas Ku, has prepared the third generation plans of the Planetarium Building. These have been accepted by the Council and working drawings of the building are well in hand.
The site for the Planetarium Building in the old KCR Station at Tsim Sha Tsui will be ready in February 1976, and preparation for the piling work for the Planetarium Building is in hand. Piling is expected to commence in March 1976.
The major part of the equipment, which includes a planetarium Star Projector, a Projection Dome of internal diameter 23 metres, and various special effects projectors, has been manufactured by Carl-Zeiss of West Germany, and paid for by the Council. It is now being stored for the Council by the manufacturers until installation.
The Council will shortly appoint a planning team to make detailed preparations for the operation and programming of the Planetarium so that it will be open to the public immediately after the construction is completed in late 1977.
I now turn to a very different subject entirely, but nevertheless of great interest to this Council, namely Environmental Pollution.
Our various campaigns on Health Education in the past and the massive effort of the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign demonstrated our involvement in this continuing task. And, of course, the Urban Services Department, our operational arm, is specifically charged with the task of keeping our environment clean. But our rapid population and industrial expansion has created pollution problems never envisaged or recognized until quite recently, in the air, the land and the sea around us. Unless controlled, we will be engulfed in a sea of sewage and effluent, with the air unbreathable and the land unfit for human habitation. Never mind pleasure and sporting activities.
Hence the role of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Pollution formed from two older committees dealing with air and land and water pollution. Its main objectives are:
firstly, to keep under constant review, the state of the environment and pollution; and secondly, to advise the Secretary for the Environment on the appropriate measures which might be taken to combat pollution of all kinds.
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Committee comprises a Chairman and 27 members. Chairman and 15 of the members are from outside Government and two of them are members of the Council, and they represent many walks of life. The remaining twelve are high-ranking Government officers from various departments, with an interest in the environment and pollution control.
At the first meeting, members decided that EPCOM would function more efficiently if it were divided into sub-committees to advise the main committee. Three sub-committees were duly formed to concern themselves with water and land pollution, air pollution and noise pollution respectively. I am Chairman of the sub-committee dealing with land and water. Since formation, the sub-committees have met at regular intervals and put forward via the main committee, a number of recommendations for the consideration of the Secretary for the Environment. Many of these recommendations have been accepted and implemented by Government. I would like to mention today a few of the important subjects discussed by EPCOM during the past year.
It is generally recognized that Hong Kong needs strong and effective legislation in order to protect the environment. Much of the pollution control legislation in existence at the present time is not appropriate to modern conditions, as it has grown up piecemeal over the years, and is generally outdated. For this reason, consultants were engaged by Government in December 1974, to advise on the principles to be incorporated in an Environmental Protection Ordinance covering all aspects of pollution on land and water, and in the air, and arising from excessive noise. The consultants were also required to advise on the organization which would be needed to enforce such legislation, and on the recruitment and training of staff. EPCOM has been closely concerned with this project from the outset, and the consultants have attended meetings of the EPCOM Sub-committees as well as the main Committee, to explain their proposals and to seek EPCOM views. The consultants submitted their first report late last year, and this contained proposals for establishing the nucleus of an Environmental Protection Unit, as well as the consultants' first thoughts on the broad principles to be embodied in the new legislation. The consultants are now developing these outline proposals into firm and detailed recommendations, taking into account the views expressed by Government departments and by EPCOM.
Disposal of refuse and other solid waste in a hygienic and environmentally acceptable fashion, is a matter of some importance in most countries, and it presents special problems within the restricted land area of Hong Kong. Consultants were appointed by Government
Page 103 of 154
173
172
Page 103 of 154
173
172
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Progress of the Project
Subsequent to a study tour on the world's leading Planetaria in North America and Europe in August 1975, the Project Architect, Mr. Thomas Ku, has prepared the third generation plans of the Plane- tarium Building. These have been accepted by the Council and work- ing drawings of the building are well in hand.
The site for the Planetarium Building in the old KCR Station at Tsim Sha Tsui will be ready in February 1976, and preparation for the piling working for the Planetarium Building is in hand. Piling is ex- pected to commence in March 1976.
The major part of the equipment, which includes a planetarium Star Projector, a Projection Dome of internal diameter 23 metres, and various special effects projectors, has been manufactured by Carl-Zeiss of West Germany, and paid for by the Council. It is now being stored for the Council by the manufacturers until installation.
The Council will shortly appoint a planning team to make detailed preparations for the operation and programming of the Planetarium so that it will be open to the public immediately after the construction is completed in late 1977.
I now turn to a very different subject entirely, but nevertheless of great interest to this Council, namely Environmental Pollution.
Our various campaigns on Health Education in the past and the massive effort of the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign demon- strated our involvement in this continuing task. And, of course, the Urban Services Department, our operational arm, is specifically charged with the task of keeping our environmental clean. But our rapid population and industrial expansion has created pollution problems never envisaged or recognized until quite recently, in the air, the land and the sea around us. Unless controlled, we will be engulfed in a sea of sewage and effluent, with the air unbreathable and the land unfit for human habitation. Never mind pleasure and sporting activities.
Hence the role of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Pollution formed from two older committees dealing with air and land and water pollution. Its main objectives are:-
firstly, to keep under constant review, the state of the environment and pollution; and secondly, to advise the Secretary for the Environment on the appropriate measures which might be taken to combat pollution of all kinds.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The
The Committee comprises a Chairman and 27 members. Chairman and 15 of the members are from outside Government and two of them are members of the Council, and they represent many walks of life. The remaining twelve are high ranking Government officers from various departments, with an interest in the environment and pollution control.
At the first meeting, members decided that EPCOM would function more efficiently if it were divided into sub-committees to advise the main committee. Three sub-committees were duly formed to concern themselves with water and land pollution, air pollution and noise pollution respectively. I am Chairman of the sub-committee dealing with land and water. Since formation, the sub-committees have met at regular intervals and put forward via the main committee, a number of recommendations for the consideration of the Secretary for the Environment. Many of these recommendations have been accepted and implemented by Government. I would like to mention today a few of the important subject discussed by EPCOM during the past year.
It is generally recognized that Hong Kong needs strong and effective legislation in order to protect the environment. Much of the pollution control legislation in existence at the present time is not appropriate to modern conditions, as it has grown up piecemeal over the years, and is generally outdated. For this reason, consultants were engaged by Government in December 1974, to advise on the principles to be incorporated in an Environmental Protection Ordinance covering all aspects of pollution on land and water, and in the air, and arising from excessive noise. The consultants were also required to advise on the organization which would be needed to enforce such legislation, and on the recruitment and training of staff. EPCOM has been closely concerned with this project from the outset, and the consultants have attended meetings of the EPCOM Sub-committees as well as the main Committee, to explain their proposals and to seek EPCOM views. The consultants submitted their first report late last year, and this contained proposals for establishing the nucleus of an Environmental Protection, Unit, as well as the consultants' first thoughts on the broad principles to be embodied in the new legislation. The consultants are now developing these outline proposals into firm and detailed recom- mendations, taking into account the views expressed by Government departments and by EPCOM.
Disposal of refuse and other solid waste in an hygienic and environmentally acceptable fashion, is a matter of some importance in most countries, and it presents special problems within the restricted land area of Hong Kong. Consultants were appointed by Government
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.