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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The second part of the question concerns replenishment of Repulse Bay Beach. In January 1988 British consultants, Hydraulics Research Limited, submitted a report on a study to determine measures to replenish the beach. The Department sought comments from the relevant government departments on the proposals. A working group with representatives from government departments has been formed to evaluate the various beach replenishment options recommended by the consultant. It is estimated that the replenishment scheme could commence at the end of the current swimming season in December.

The Department is now finalizing the implementation programme and a paper outlining the proposal together with the estimated cost will be submitted to the Recreation, Capital Works and Finance Select Committees during this month. As mentioned earlier, a representative of EPD will be present at the meeting of the Recreation Select Committee tomorrow.

In the light of this, may I suggest that further consideration of this issue be left to that Committee, at least for the time being.

2. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in Cantonese): In order to improve the living environment, can more flowering trees be planted in the urban areas, such as Bougainvilleas and Flame-of-the-Forest?

MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE replied (in Cantonese): This question asks whether more flowering trees could be planted in the urban area to improve the environment.

The Urban Council has a long-standing policy for beautifying the urban environment through its annual planting programmes. In 1987, a total of 809,000 plantings ranging from trees, shrubs, climbers, ground covers and seasonal flowers were planted. Out of this figure, over two-thirds are flowering plants.

In 1988-89, it is planned to plant 30,000 trees and 807,000 shrubs totalling some 837,000 separate plantings. Overall, some 300 different species of flowering plants, including Bougainvilleas and Flame of the Forest, are currently produced by Urban Council nurseries and it is planned that more types of flowering trees and shrubs will be used in appropriate locations.

With the above policy in mind, continuous efforts have been, and will be, made to provide flowering shrubs and trees, as appropriate, in suitable locations. This includes parks, sitting out areas, and also sites along highways and vacant Crown land wherever possible. In short, to beautify the urban environment is always the objective we try to achieve.

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, Mr. WONG said that in 1988 and 1989 the Council plans to plant 30,000 trees. I would like to ask of these 30,000 trees how many are flowering trees and in the coming year, can we plant more flowering trees?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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Mr. Samuel Wong (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I think two-thirds of the trees will have flowers. In our nurseries at present, we are planting more than 300 species of flowering trees.

3. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese): I am aware that the collection of refuse in some residential areas is carried out around the lunch or dinner hours, and hence the residents suffer from the unpleasant smell when having their meals. Is it possible for the Urban Services Department to re-arrange the time of collection of refuse so that the residents can enjoy more their meals?

DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE replied (in English): This question asks whether it is possible to avoid collecting refuse during meal hours.

As a matter of general principles, we agreed with Mr. Joseph CHAN's suggestion to avoid refuse collection during meal hours. Quite apart from the residents themselves, it is also in the interest of departmental staff to collect refuse outside lunch and dinner hours because they themselves also want to take their meal during the normal meal time. In the case of refuse collection in housing estates, most cleansing staff are advised to suspend collection between the hours of 12.00 noon to 2.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. However, it is not always practical, because the routing of all refuse collection vehicles is designed to achieve maximum efficiency. Laying off the work force for four hours for meals during the day will not help to achieve this aim. It may, therefore, mean that some refuse collection vehicles will have to visit some refuse collection points during meal hours. Furthermore, although every effort is made to ensure that the RCVs call at different destinations outside the meal hour, they may sometimes arrive late due to unforeseeable road traffic congestion. Another reason for refuse collection during meal hours is that sometimes unexpectedly large yields of refuse may arise, and as a result, the refuse collection work will take a longer time to complete and may therefore be extended into meal time.

In the case of private residential buildings, the household refuse is normally collected by private collectors at times convenient to householders and transported by them to designated Refuse Collection Points. It is not envisaged that such an arrangement would create any problems of smell for residents when they take their meals. I have to repeat that while we always endeavour to collect refuse outside meal hours, there are times when this ideal situation cannot be met with and the department will have to try to minimize nuisances to the public.

(Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming arrived at 2:35 p.m.)

MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, it is said that my suggestion is agreed to but then it goes on to say that it is not practical. It is just empty...

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