ENG-2004 — Page 303

Land, Public Works and Utilities 253

works in the lower and mid-stream of the River Indus and the River Beas, have basically eliminated the risk for formerly flood-prone villages in the Lo Wu, Tin Ping Shan and Ho Sheung Heung areas. The Stage III works of the project have started in phases since 2001 for completion in early 2006. These works include the training of four kilometres of the river's channel from Lo Wu to its confluence with the River Ganges.

To tackle the flooding problem in the Ta Kwu Ling area, drainage improvement works for 1.7 kilometres of the downstream of the River Ganges are progressing for completion in end 2005 to match with the completion of the Stage III works of the Shenzhen River Regulation. Design work for another 21.5 kilometres of drainage channels in the northern New Territories is also in hand, including the upstream portions of the rivers Ganges, Beas and Indus, and the Ma Wat and Kau Lung Hang channels. On completion of these remaining river training works, the regional flooding problem in the northern New Territories will be overcome.

In addition to the river training works, village flood pumping schemes have been implemented to protect low-lying villages from flood hazards. These schemes involve construction of bunds around villages and pumping of stormwater from within the bunded area to an outside channel during rainstorms. Altogether, 24 schemes are now in operation. Similar schemes for Mai Po, Lo Wai, Mai Po San Tsuen, Shui Pin Tsuen and Tai Kiu are under construction.

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In West Kowloon, the Stage drainage improvement which included laying about 10 kilometres of stormwater drains in Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Kowloon Tong, Sham Shui Po and Lai Chi Kok, was completed in June 2003. The Stage II works which included improvements to about 23 kilometres of stormwater drains in Tsim Sha Tsui, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok, were substantially completed in December 2004. With the completion of the large flood storage tank underneath the Tai Hang Tung Recreation Ground in Mong Kok and the 1.5-kilometre stormwater transfer tunnel from Kowloon Tong to Kai Tak Nullah in 2004, the flooding problem in the Prince Edward area of Mong Kok has basically been resolved. The Stage III works, which included laying about 12 kilometres of stormwater drains in Yau Ma Tei, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon Tong and Yau Yat Tsuen, are progressing for completion in 2007.

To sustain the momentum given to flood control, the department has since 1994 completed seven out of eight Drainage Master Plan (DMP) Studies to review the condition and performance of the existing stormwater drainage systems in various flood-prone areas throughout Hong Kong. The last DMP study is due for completion in 2005. In view of current and future development needs, further packages of improvement works with greater focus on the secondary drainage networks have been included in the Public Works Programme and are at different planning and detailed design stages.

Under a preventive maintenance programme, the public drainage system is regularly inspected and desilted before and during the rainy seasons to ensure that