https://www.scmp.com/rss/279778/feed A controversial proposal to turn, by 2015, a stretch of coastline near Tai Po, in the New Territories, into a 200-metre-long artificial public beach. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chung-ying gave the plan the go-ahead in October 2012, but environmentalists and green groups argue the project is a disaster for the 200 marine and bird species inhabiting the area. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Hong Kong environmentalists could only stand and watch on Friday as workmen at a seashore moved rare creatures from their usual home to make way for an artificial pleasure beach. Activists have decried the plan for Lung Mei Beach in Tai Po – and even taken the government to court over it – but have since accepted there is little they can do to stop the work and keep the starfish, urchins and other animals in place. On November 25 government officials and contract workers started moving what... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2123495/animal-lovers-lament-hong-kong-sea-creatures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2123495/animal-lovers-lament-hong-kong-sea-creatures?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:44:44 +0000 A conservation group opposed to the government’s plan to build a man-made bathing beach in Tai Po has slammed lands officials for forcing a store owner to move before a judicial appeal has been settled. Tung Shun Store, a popular self-serve barbecue and snack haunt, has operated on the western fringe of the Lung Mei shorefront for years. Ho Loy, of the Save Lung Mei Alliance, said it was inappropriate for the government to move so hastily to resume land along the 9km stretch of Plover Cove’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2028596/hong-kong-officials-behind-artificial-beach-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2028596/hong-kong-officials-behind-artificial-beach-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Oct 2016 17:12:59 +0000 Those in favour of turning an ecologically sensitive coastline into a man-made beach in Tai Po must be encouraged to learn that the plan can finally be lifted from the drawing board. In a much-awaited ruling, the High Court quashed the challenge filed by a green activist, who feared that the proposed 200-metre-long sandy strip in Lung Mei would wipe out an endangered seahorse species and other marine life in the region. The decision has understandably upset green groups, but it put a welcome end... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1575024/court-ruling-tai-po-beach-welcome-end-16-year-saga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1575024/court-ruling-tai-po-beach-welcome-end-16-year-saga?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2014 20:25:13 +0000 A green activist has asked the High Court to adopt "heightened scrutiny" of a government decision to build a beach in Tai Po that she says is likely to endanger the life of a rare seahorse. Ho Loy is seeking leave for a judicial review in order to halt the artificial beach project at Lung Mei, where spotted seahorses, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, have been seen. Ho, a member of the Save Lung Mei Alliance, complained that the director of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1296216/activist-puts-case-artificial-beach-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1296216/activist-puts-case-artificial-beach-review?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The first hearing for a judicial review request over the government’s decision to allow an artificial beach near Tai Po is to begin as early as Monday morning, says an activist group. Ho Loy, a member of Save Lung Mei Alliance who is asking the court to stop beach construction, had applied for leave for judicial review at the High Court in June on grounds of a flawed environmental impact assessment by the government.  “We are very confident that the court will grant leave to us as all our... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1295254/lung-mei-activist-confident-judicial-review-artificial-beach-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1295254/lung-mei-activist-confident-judicial-review-artificial-beach-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2013 07:35:58 +0000 The government failed to take into account the presence of ecologically valuable marine species at the site of a planned artificial beach in Tai Po before approving the plan, activists will argue in a court challenge to the scheme. Ho Loy, a member of the Save Lung Mei Alliance, filed a notice with the High Court seeking a judicial review of the government's decision to allow the building of the Lung Mei beach on the grounds of a flawed environmental impact assessment. The alliance earlier said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1261735/lung-mei-beach-plan-fought-ecological-grounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1261735/lung-mei-beach-plan-fought-ecological-grounds?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Conservationists will seek a judicial review in their latest effort to block a man-made beach project at Tai Po after the government rejected their arguments that the environmental impact report was misleading. This follows a letter from assistant director of environmental protection Tang Kin-fai, received by the coalition of green groups yesterday, that said "no case has been made out for the exercise of power" under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance. The ordinance empowers the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1235036/green-groups-seek-judicial-review-over-artificial-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1235036/green-groups-seek-judicial-review-over-artificial-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Campaigners fighting plans to build a man-made beach at Tolo Harbour say official data shows the water in the area is still unfit for swimming. An indication of the actual situation came to light only after they put pressure on the government to release the hidden figures behind its announcement last month that tests showed "an improving trend". The data, collected at three spots along the existing natural Lung Mei beach between 2010 and January shows that the concentration of E coli bacteria... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1199662/government-accused-misleading-claims-seawater-hygiene?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1199662/government-accused-misleading-claims-seawater-hygiene?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Avoid moving in sectarian direction Religion is probably not the first thing that comes to mind for most people when thinking of Hong Kong. But for the three of us, as leaders in our respective religious communities, religion defines Hong Kong. From our perspective, Hong Kong is not only "Asia's world city", it is also a beacon of inter-religious co-operation. An atmosphere of friendship and mutual respect among faith communities has been carefully and consistently cultivated here for many... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1148282/letters-editor-february-12-2013?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1148282/letters-editor-february-12-2013?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Environment officials have extended the deadline for campaigners against a man-made beach project in Tai Po to submit evidence to back up their claims that precious marine life would be put at risk. The protesters are fighting to stop Lung Mei beach from being bulldozed and a 200-metre-long artificial seaside with room for 4,000 swimmers put in its place. They had asked for an extension to the cut-off date for more time to demonstrate that the project's environmental impact assessment was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1141307/months-reprieve-campaign-save-lung-mei-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1141307/months-reprieve-campaign-save-lung-mei-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The proposed beach at Lung Mei, incinerator at Shek Kwu Chau, expansion of the Tseung Kwan O landfill into Clear Water Bay Country Park and a potential third runway at the airport have all provoked strong reactions from environmental groups and sectors of the public concerned about their impact on wildlife and the environment. This is despite some of these projects having undergone environmental impact assessments, which have been accepted by the Environmental Protection Department. Advocates... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1129509/real-strategy-save-hong-kongs-endangered-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1129509/real-strategy-save-hong-kongs-endangered-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Flats initiative a short-term measure I was delighted by the government's announcement on Monday, December 24, that it planned to boost land supply [in the coming quarter] for the construction of 3,000 new apartments. This is a welcome gift for the new year. This joint initiative of boosting land supply and building the additional flats can help to cool the overheating property market. I appreciate the measures that Hong Kong administrations have taken over the past few years to curb rising... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1116182/letters-editor-december-31-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1116182/letters-editor-december-31-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Standard hours law is morally right In the report ("Warning of 'euro mess' over standard working hours", December 3), a deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries said that legislation on standard working hours would jeopardise business competitiveness and such legislation had "caused riots and unrest in some countries". Why would workers riot if their working hours were the standard, eight hours daily, six days a week? As one would expect, the richest members of the business... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1106378/letters-editor-december-16-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1106378/letters-editor-december-16-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000 A plan to seek a judicial review over a controversial man-made beach project was thrown into uncertainty after environment officials refused to provide details on the project in time. Six weeks have passed since a coalition of green groups wrote to the Environmental Protection Department, urging it to review the Lung Mei beach plan in Tolo Harbour and withdraw its work permit. The department was expected to reply by today. But undersecretary for environment Christine Loh Kung-wai said yesterday... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1104771/blow-lung-mei-beach-judicial-review-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1104771/blow-lung-mei-beach-judicial-review-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Air quality objectives are outdated The government should implement new air quality standards as soon as possible. Given that we have serious levels of air pollution, there should be no hesitation on the part of officials when it comes to dealing with this problem. The pollution and the dampness are particularly bad for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma, who will keep falling ill. Hong Kong's air quality objectives are a measure of what is an acceptable level of air quality. This... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1096026/letters-editor-december-3-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1096026/letters-editor-december-3-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Environment officials can do better job The Environmental Protection Department's dogged intention to locate a massive off-shore waste incinerator on Shek Kwu Chau marked a low point in governance. The decision was made for the wrong reasons, when there were more cost-effective and environmentally viable alternatives available. It is evident the government has been weak-kneed when facing opposition from vested interests, but has been willing to frustrate public opinion on this matter to such a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1089523/letters-editor-november-24-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1089523/letters-editor-november-24-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Appalling lack of respect for marine life Unfortunately the recent case of people at Lung Mei destroying sea life is not an isolated one. At Pui O beach the weekend before last, a group of visitors was seen gathering a large number of hermit crabs, putting them into a bucket and playing with them for a while before dumping the crabs in a pile far from the sea. If they had not been returned to the sea by some children who saw what happened, they would certainly have died. Many people were also... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1086382/letters-editor-november-20-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1086382/letters-editor-november-20-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 State pension trust fund the fairest option There has been much debate about the appropriate level of "fruit money" that should be paid out of government funds to support the elderly in Hong Kong. However, let us consider the wider picture. Unlike the situation in too many other parts of the world, nobody can fairly accuse our Hong Kong officials of raking off public money for themselves. Rather to the contrary, in fact, since successive governments have prudently invested huge sums as reserves,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1085668/letters-editor-november-19-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1085668/letters-editor-november-19-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 A coalition of at least 30 groups opposed to the government's plan to build an artificial beach in Tai Po is a step closer to launching a judicial review against the controversial project. Peter Li Siu-man, the coalition's spokesman, said it had made progress in its bid to seek a judicial review of the director of environmental protection's decision to issue a permit for the construction of a man-made beach in Lung Mei, along the Tolo Harbour. Legal experts consulted by the coalition had advised... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1085570/activists-could-seek-judicial-review-against-fake-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1085570/activists-could-seek-judicial-review-against-fake-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union urged the government to carry out the development of an artificial beach in Lung Mei, located along Tolo Harbour, as quickly as possible ("Activists decry support for beach at Lung Mei", November 8). The union said the established due process must be respected or many development projects would stall. The development of this beach has gone through statutory town planning, reclamation, and environmental impact procedures. The local district council was... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1081155/eco-friendly-ideas-lung-mei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1081155/eco-friendly-ideas-lung-mei?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 A green group has accused civil servants of crossing the lines of political neutrality, saying that in 2008 they actively created public support for or eliminated objections to plans for a man-made beach in Tai Po. In one instance, officers of the Civil Engineering and Development Department talked 12 pupils at a Kwun Tong secondary school out of opposing the reclamation of Tolo Harbour waters at Lung Mei, along Ting Kok Road. In another case, the same officers, along with Tai Po district... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1081190/civil-servants-violating-neutrality-pushing-artificial-beach-lung-mei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1081190/civil-servants-violating-neutrality-pushing-artificial-beach-lung-mei?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Tighter control of real estate sector crucial Hong Kong is a renowned international financial centre. Our financial industry, with its sophisticated regulatory framework, is one of our economic pillars. That framework is based on previous experience and mistakes. The Securities and Futures Commission was set up in 1989 in response to the stock market crash of October 1987. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority was set up in 1993 in part because the Office of the Commissioner of Banking and the Office... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1080267/letters-editor-november-12-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1080267/letters-editor-november-12-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Mitt Romney His campaign team had planned fireworks, and media reports said he had already written a 1,118-word victory speech. Then Romney went and lost. Wife Ann was in tears and the US presidential candidate himself was said to be shell-shocked as he went to break the news to Republican supporters gathered at a Boston hotel.   DNA Galleria retailers As Christmas decorations go up in stores and as buying a coffee suddenly seems like walking into Santa's grotto, 69 tenants of the city's DNA... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1079617/bad-week-november-11-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1079617/bad-week-november-11-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 If you have visited or even driven past Lung Mei on the north shore of Tolo Harbour, you might wonder why all the fuss about government plans to cover a stretch of coast with sand to make a swimming beach. There's a jumble of rocks amidst a mix of mud and sand, lapped by shallow waters that are sometimes brown with silt. Though conservationists are fighting a tough rearguard action to keep Lung Mei as it is, there are no stellar flagship species - no pink dolphins, or spoonbills or otters. On a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1079467/campaign-save-lung-mei-goes-far-beyond-its-unglamorous-shores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1079467/campaign-save-lung-mei-goes-far-beyond-its-unglamorous-shores?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Opponents of the Lung Mei man-made beach project have organised a 50-member "ecological guard" to monitor the site after they found remains of starfish and sea urchins littering the area, which is attracting growing numbers of visitors. The guards, mostly volunteers, will be stationed at the site on the Tai Po coast from 11am to 6pm at weekends and will advise people to use their eyes, not their hands, to appreciate wildlife. "This should be the duty of the Agriculture, Fisheries and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1078095/lung-mei-beach-activists-volunteer-guards-after-dead-wildlife-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1078095/lung-mei-beach-activists-volunteer-guards-after-dead-wildlife-found?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 A civil service union has been accused of abandoning its political neutrality after it supported plans to build an artificial beach near Tai Po. The Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union on Tuesday night urged the government to carry out the project in Lung Mei, located along Tolo Harbour, as quickly as possible. The union said the development plan had gone through statutory procedures, district council consultations and environmental impact assessments. It had also received Legco's approval... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1077293/environmentalists-decry-civil-servants-support-man-made-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1077293/environmentalists-decry-civil-servants-support-man-made-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Why ESF cannot adopt local system I refer to the report (“ESF warned over local curriculum”, November 1). I feel that by suggesting the English Schools Foundation follow the local curriculum in order to benefit from the government subvention, the secretary for education is missing the point of the purpose of the ESF in Hong Kong. Many expatriate families are only here for a limited time. It is not in their interests to integrate fully into the local system by studying Chinese, nor is it in their... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1076625/letters-editor-november-7-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1076625/letters-editor-november-7-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:49:30 +0000 The man-made beach planned on the Tai Po shoreline is doomed to fail because of environmental factors, a marine ecology scholar says. Professor Brian Morton said pollution of the Tolo Harbour and a lack of waves to keep the sand white would make the HK$200 million project at Lung Mei "time, effort and money spent for nothing". Morton, who spent 33 years researching Hong Kong's marine environment before he retired in 2003, said he would "almost certainly advise against [the project]". He was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075647/lung-mei-beach-project-doomed-fail-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075647/lung-mei-beach-project-doomed-fail-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The battle to stop the construction of an artificial beach on Tolo Harbour escalated into a mass protest outside government headquarters yesterday. It is not difficult to understand why protesters took to the streets. Not only has their demand to halt Lung Mei's man-made beach plan fallen on deaf ears, but hopes to settle the dispute through established channels and processes are looking increasingly dim. The protest also came after Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Friday questioned... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075110/protesters-fighting-tolo-harbour-beach-marching-against-tide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075110/protesters-fighting-tolo-harbour-beach-marching-against-tide?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The controversy over a stretch of coastline near Tai Po destined to become a man-made beach has boosted the area's popularity, alarming green groups concerned about a new disturbance to its marine life. The number of parents and their children visiting Lung Mei has doubled in recent weeks, after environmental activists stepped up their campaign to stop the government-funded development from going ahead. Environmentalists, whose concerns have alerted the public to the area's marine life, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075171/visitors-urged-tread-lightly-newly-famous-lung-mei-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1075171/visitors-urged-tread-lightly-newly-famous-lung-mei-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Last week, the government formally gave the go-ahead for the development of a man-made beach at Lung Mei. The announcement caused quite a stir among green groups that are concerned with the risk to marine species in the area. The area is home to some 200 marine and bird species, including three fish species of conservation concern. The government said there was overwhelming public demand for a beach to serve the residents of Tai Po, Sha Tin and its neighbouring districts, which do not have a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1074309/do-policymakers-recognise-ecological-value?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1074309/do-policymakers-recognise-ecological-value?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Beach went through years of planning I refer to the report ("Leung angers activists by backing beach plan", October 26), which claimed that the chief executive overruled environment officials on the Tai Po Lung Mei Beach works project. The Lung Mei Beach works project had gone through years of planning as well as consultations. It was scrutinised and approved in accordance with the statutory procedures by the Advisory Council on the Environment, Town Planning Board and Legislative Council on... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1073515/letters-editor-october-31-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1073515/letters-editor-october-31-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 On HK dropping in global survey of English proficiency: Simon Li - It's already a common fact that the older generation speaks better English than the younger ones. Just ask the Western tourists in Hong Kong, they'll give you a very good picture. They all end up very surprised to find that the younger Hkers have a poorer grasp of English, until they find out the reason. Amy Lai - It is a lot easier to learn good English now than it was 20 years ago … exchange programmes are more common and you... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1073517/whats-being-said-facebookcom/southchinamorningpost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1073517/whats-being-said-facebookcom/southchinamorningpost?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The mixed reactions to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's decision to go ahead with his predecessor's plans to create an artificial public beach in an ecologically sensitive area in Tai Po are to be expected. For nature lovers, the 200-metre-long sandy beach at Lung Mei is no doubt a disaster to the endangered species found in its habitat. But those in favour of building more recreational facilities for people to enjoy applauded the chief executive's determination to turn the 14-year-old project... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1073513/balancing-environment-and-development-new-tai-po-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1073513/balancing-environment-and-development-new-tai-po-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 More doubts have been raised about water quality near the site of a proposed artificial beach in Lung Mei, Tai Po. Green groups said yesterday it had high levels of heavy metals, making the site unsuitable for swimming. Campaigners against the project have uncovered government records showing there used to be a dumping site 500 metres from the site. Even though the dumping area no longer exists, a University of Hong Kong study published in 2009 showed "an abnormally high level of heavy metals"... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1072132/lung-mei-beach-found-be-contaminated-heavy-metals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1072132/lung-mei-beach-found-be-contaminated-heavy-metals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 If a controversial artificial beach proposed for Tai Po were to open today, it would be the dirtiest beach in the city. Environmental officials, however, say a proper sewage system in the Lung Mei area, now under construction, will make the water safe enough for swimmers by the time the facility opens. Between 2000 and last year, the water quality at the site of the proposed beach deteriorated from "good" to "very poor", Environmental Protection Department data shows. By comparison, the water at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1071396/proposed-tai-po-beach-made-be-safe-swimmers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1071396/proposed-tai-po-beach-made-be-safe-swimmers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Environmentalists-turned-politicians Wong Kam-sing and Christine Loh Kung-wai have disappointed green groups over their handling of the Lung Mei Beach project. Wong, the newly appointed environment minister, and Loh, his deputy, appear to have lost the battle to save the ecologically sensitive coastline in Tai Po, which will soon be developed into an artificial beach. Opponents of the plan were given false hope last week when Wong said the government would make an announcement about the beach.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1069759/green-groups-disappointed-over-handling-lung-mei-beach-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1069759/green-groups-disappointed-over-handling-lung-mei-beach-project?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000