Q Should more be done to clean up Hong Kong's harbour?
I agree with your report that it is a disgrace for taxpayers to have spent billions on sewage disposal schemes and yet more beaches are closed every year. The heart of the problem is two-fold. When it first started planning for the so-called strategic sewage disposal scheme in the 1980s, the government adopted a philosophy of sewage disposal rather than treatment. It is because of this philosophy that practically all sewage in the metropolitan areas on both sides of the harbour are concentrated at Stonecutter's Island, half-treated and then disposed of right into the harbour. The Conservancy Association has long been advocating a scheme of full and distributed treatment which provides for a small number of treatment plants built at diverse locations to fully treat the sewage to a much cleaner state. If the latter philosophy had been adopted, today's problem would not have occurred. The other problem is one of delay. This is caused by the lack of a single central authority to oversee the concept's study, planning, execution and monitoring. At present these responsibilities are shared between different bureaus and departments. Such bureaucracy makes it hard to fast-track the programme or to execute it in a more efficient manner. If the status quo is allowed to continue, we shall see Hong Kong losing more of its fragrant harbour in the next decade.
Albert Lai, chairman of the Conservancy Association
I think it is necessary to clean up the harbour. It is disgusting for both Hong Kong people and tourists to view the beautiful tall buildings across the dirty harbour. Besides the negative impact on tourism, it's essential to clean up the rubbish that contaminates our harbour. If it's not done quickly, not only will it cause serious water pollution, it will also provide an awful sight for everyone in Hong Kong.
Chan Pui-fan, Tsuen Wan
Environment protection has become a serious problem. Pollution from various sources such as water and air pollution threatens the future of the human race. People improve their way of life by changing the physical environment. Each day, millions of tonnes of waste is being pumped into the air. What can we do to solve it? Effective measures should be taken and laws passed to eliminate pollution. For instance, educate the public to raise their awareness of conserving our beautiful environment.
Steven Liu Wai-hung, Tsuen Wan
