Watchdog wants answers on lack of action to improve air

The Ombudsman will investigate why the government has yet to set new air quality objectives even though it conducted a review of air standards three years ago and took public comment last year.

Last month the watchdog told Friends of the Earth that it would look into the green group's complaint that the government was dragging its feet on setting new air quality standards. It did not explicitly say on which grounds it accepted the complaint.

The investigation may be the first by the Ombudsman into possible misadministration in how environment officials handle air pollution policy.

Environment officials have been asked to file an initial reply within the month, after which the Ombudsman will spend three to six months investigating if the complaint is justified. As a general practice, the Ombudsman can choose to release results of the inquiry if he believes there are wide public interests at stake.

The investigation is expected to focus on why air quality objectives have not been renewed since 1987 and are now considered far looser than World Health Organisation guidelines.

Thomas Choi Ka-man, a senior environmental affairs officer at Friends of the Earth who filed the complaint with the Ombudsman, said the group was extremely disappointed by the department's lack of action.

'Clearly there is serious dereliction of duties that the Ombudsman has a duty to study closely and find out what is really going on,' Choi said. 'We are not asking for heads to roll. Having Edward Yau stepping down as the environment minister won't make the air quality better instantly. If he is really serious about air pollution, please revise the objectives within this year.'