ENG-2014 — Page 251

12

Planning, Land and Infrastructure

organised in 2014 to encourage the public to care for and appreciate these valuable assets. The 'Tree Care Partner' programme of seminars and workshops for schools was launched in 2014 to raise students' interest in and awareness of tree care.

The GLTM Section oversees the implementation of greening measures across departments to improve the environment. In addition to developing practical guidelines for departments to achieve design excellence, the GLO also works closely with departments to identify greening opportunities, promote good landscape design and designate good quality space for future greening at the early planning stage.

The GLO advocates a co-ordinated approach to urban greening and open-space planning, and promotes best practices in landscape design and implementation to optimise the greening effect. The GLO encourages the adoption of new greening techniques, in particular a wider application of 'skyrise greenery.

The government's Greening Master Plans (GMPs) for each district define their overall greening frameworks and themes. The GMPs' greening works for urban areas were completed in 2011 and priority greening works in the southeast and northwest New Territories commenced in 2014.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Investment

The government is committed to building new infrastructure and improving existing facilities to meet economic development needs, and to improve the living environment. Infrastructure investment in Hong Kong reached $70 billion in 2013-14. The government will continue to invest in infrastructure development and investment is anticipated to remain at about $70 billion per year for the next few years.

Drainage Services

Flood Prevention Programme

To reduce flooding risks, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) has completed various flood prevention projects and manages about 2,765 kilometres of drains and watercourses throughout the territory. The department has also embarked on the planning, design and construction of further flood prevention works at a total cost of about $13.4 billion.

The majority of major flood prevention works in the New Territories have been completed, including about 102.5 kilometres of trained rivers, about 25.4 kilometres of stormwater drains and 27 village floodwater pumping schemes. The department has also started the planning, design and construction of improvement works to about 14.9 kilometres of rivers and about 11.6 kilometres of stormwater drains in the north and northwest New Territories to cater for local developments and to address probable effects of climate change.

The Kai Tak River Improvement Works and the Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme, when completed in phases from 2015 to 2018, will further reduce the risk of flooding in these areas. The department has applied to the Kai Tak River Improvement Works the concept

199