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Proactive
effort to deter violations of environmental laws
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) is taking a proactive approach
to deter violations of environmental laws on construction
sites.
Apart from regular inspections by the EPD's six Local Control
Offices (LCOs), the EPD conducted a territory-wide special
operation between December 3 and 9 to step up its effort against
such offences.
A spokesman
for the EPD said today (Sunday) that the operation was conducted
as the EPD was concerned about the nuisances caused to nearby
residents and pollution problems arising from such violations.
During
the operation, concerted effort was made by the officers of
each of the LCOs to inspect construction sites during daytime
and in the evening.
Of the
78 offences spotted, 48 violated the Noise Control Ordinance
(NCO), 23 breached the Air Pollution Control Ordinance and
seven were against the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
The spokesman
said: "The violations against the NCO topped the list
of offences spotted, accounted for 62 per cent.
In fact,
in 1997, 1998 and the first 11 months of 1999, there were
about 1 900, 2 200 and 2170 complaints respectively against
noise from construction activities.
"Coupled
with stepped-up enforcement, action is also being taken to
strengthen the existing provisions of the NCO to hold the
top management of body corporates accountable for offences
under the ordinance," the spokesman said.
"It
is expected that the proposed amendments would be submitted
to the Legislative Council in the first quarter of 2000,"
the spokesman added.
End/Sunday,
December 26, 1999
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