ENG-2005 — Page 290

244 | Land, Public Works and Utilities

improving the safety of existing slopes, and providing public warnings, information, education and community advisory services on slope safety.

The department continues to exercise geotechnical control on private sector developments and government projects in the interest of public safety. Professional geotechnical engineers undertake technical audits of geotechnical design submissions. prior to construction. In addition, they carry out site audits during construction to assess the standard of implementation of the design and geotechnical site supervision. In September 2005, the department's role was extended to including the geotechnical control of government tunnel works.

In 2005, the department dealt with over 13 000 government and private sector geotechnical submissions and some 4 000 requests for geotechnical advice from government departments and members of the public. It also undertook 2 900 audits of active construction sites, with over 90 per cent of all active construction sites with geotechnical site supervision requirements being audited at least once during the construction period.

The department maintains a continuing Landslip Preventive Measures Programme to ensure the safety of existing slopes. In 2005, about $900 million was spent on the programme. Upgrading works were completed on 285 government slopes and all were landscaped to blend them with the surrounding environment. In addition, safety screening was completed on 310 private slopes.

The department inspects substandard slopes to identify those especially vulnerable to landslide risk, recommends clearance of any squatter structures which are affected and advises the occupants to seek safe shelter during heavy rain. In 2005, it inspected about 100 substandard slopes and recommended clearance of squatters affected by these slopes.

The Slope Information System, set up and maintained by the department, contains pertinent technical information on 57 000 sizeable man-made slopes in Hong Kong. A bilingual version of the system has been uploaded to the Internet at the department's Hong Kong Slope Safety website. Together with the Slope Maintenance Responsibility Information System maintained by the Lands Department on the Internet, the public can have ready access to information on slopes under their responsibility.

In sustaining public awareness of slope safety, the department continues to promote and disseminate slope safety and slope maintenance messages to the public. During the year, roving exhibitions were held in nine venues - three secondary schools, two universities, a public and a private housing estate, a commercial shopping centre and Hong Kong Central Library.

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A book on the landslide history of Hong Kong, When Hillsides Collapse A Century of Landslides in Hong Kong, was published by the department to raise public awareness of landslide hazards. The book was based on the information collected from the landslide history exhibition held in 2004 plus some related interviews and aerial photographs.