ENG-2001 — Page 296

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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complaint hotline service to receive complaints from the public on blocked drains. The department also operates an Emergency and Storm Damage Organisation to ensure that emergency situations can be dealt with speedily and efficiently.

The department continues to promote flood prevention through various public education activities, such as roving exhibitions with video shows at popular shopping centres, distribution of promotional leaflets and pamphlets, media site visits and press. conferences. Since the launching of the 'Outreach Programme' in September 1999, professional engineers have visited more than 50 secondary schools and held seminars with the students to discuss their work and enhance understanding of the importance of flood prevention.

Civil Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

The main functions of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering Department (CED) include the control of geotechnical aspects of construction works and upgrading of substandard slopes to reduce landslip risk. In 2001, geotechnical checks were made on 13 029 design proposals. A total of $982 million was spent on the Landslip Preventive Measures Programme. Upgrading works were completed on 250 government slopes, and all were landscaped to blend them with the surrounding environment. In addition, safety screening was completed on 316 private slopes.

With the availability of the Systematic Identification of Maintenance Responsibility of Slopes (SIMAR) on the Internet, members of the public can have ready access to information on slopes under their responsibility. Other slope-related information on the 54 000 sizeable man-made slopes and retaining walls in Hong Kong is available in the Slope Information System. A bilingual version of the system has been uploaded on the Internet at the CED's Hong Kong Slope Safety web site.

The GEO maintains a 24-hour year-round emergency service to provide geotechnical advice to government departments on actions to be taken to protect the public against landslide danger. To further improve the landslip emergency service, the GEO has upgraded its computerised information system and telecommunication facilities to enhance its efficiency in handling landslip information and emergency calls.

Another important function of the GEO is to inspect hillside squatter villages and recommend rehousing of squatters living in structures that are most vulnerable to landslips. Upon the office's recommendation, more than 74 750 squatters at landslide risk have been rehoused. In 2001, the office inspected about 4 770 squatter structures. The GEO continued its studies to improve the knowledge and methodology of dealing with natural terrain landslide hazards. In 2001, natural terrain hazard studies were completed at three sites, and landslide hazard mitigation measures were being arranged. Field mapping of over 100 natural terrain landslides in the Tsing Shan Foothills Area was completed, as part of a study undertaken by the GEO. The office also implemented customised application of digital photogrammetry, remote sensing, and mobile mapping technologies to assist in natural terrain studies.

To sustain its publicity on slope safety, the GEO continues with its public education campaigns on slope maintenance and slope safety through wide distribution of