ENG-2004 — Page 305

Land, Public Works and Utilities 1 255

The Catalogue of Slopes has been made more comprehensive by the department through systematically examining the latest topographic plans and using aerial photograph interpretation techniques to identify and register slopes which meet the registration criteria but have not been included in the catalogue. The number of registered slopes in the catalogue has subsequently increased from 54 000 to 57 000.

In sustaining public awareness of slope safety, the department continues to promote and disseminate slope safety and slope maintenance messages to the public. Apart from regular roving exhibitions and talks, a major exhibition on the landslide history of Hong Kong was held in the Central Library in April 2004 to draw the public's attention to slope safety through historical landslide incidents. As part of the slope maintenance campaign, a pamphlet on Maintenance of Buried Services Affecting Slopes has been prepared to remind slope owners to inspect and maintain underground water services. As part of the efforts to improve the living environment, an open competition for the Best Landscaped Slope Awards was held in February 2004 to encourage slope owners to maintain and beautify their slopes.

New initiatives of public education in slope safety are underway. A book on the landslide history of Hong Kong is being prepared for the public based on the information collected from the landslide history exhibition. The department, in collaboration with other relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations, is organising a joint publicity programme, Safer Living Reducing Natural Disasters, to raise the community's preparedness for and resilience to natural disasters. The programme comprises a series of publicity events lasting for 12 months starting in March 2005, including exhibitions, public lectures, slogan and bookmark competition, a TV documentary and rescue drill demonstrations.

The department's Community Advisory Unit continues to provide useful advice to private slope owners to help them maintain and improve the condition and appearance of their slopes.

The department audits maintenance works of government departments to help in their slope maintenance work. Audits of government slope works indicate a continuous improvement in the overall state of maintenance.

The CEDD 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. The computerised information system and telecommunication facilities have been upgraded to enhance efficiency in handling landslide information and emergency calls.

The department conducts various studies to improve the knowledge and practice of dealing with natural terrain landslide hazards. It has applied the Geographic Information System and remote sensing techniques to identify historical natural terrain landslides, and quantify the landslide risk. Natural terrain hazard mitigation works are being arranged for six sites in developed areas, while studies are being carried out on four other sites.