I REFER to the Green Lantau Association's (GLA) letter published in the South China Morning Post, on June 15, regarding the microwave link relay station currently under construction at Tai Chi Tung, North Lantau and the temporary vehicular road from Tai Ho to the hilltop site. The station is an integral part of the air traffic control system for the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and has to be completed well in advance of the airport opening to allow the installation and commissioning of equipment.
As a departmental policy, we place great importance on the environmental protection aspects of our projects. Prior to the construction of the station, we consulted the GLA. The GLA indicated that it would not object to the construction of an access road to the hilltop site provided that the road was screened by extensive tree planting.
It was also thought that in place of a temporary road, a cable system for the transportation of building materials would be more environmentally friendly during construction. Unfortunately, the cable system did not work as well as hoped and the contractor resorted to the construction of the temporary road, without any environmental measures, in order to complete the construction of the station on time.
As soon as the construction was discovered we chastised the contractor for his action and instructed him to reinstate the disturbed areas. The 'paper shuffling' referred to by the GLA in its letter was a necessary step in order to ensure that requirements from all concerned parties, including the Environmental Protection Department, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, the Geotechnical Engineering Office and the GLA, were taken into account in the reinstatement plan.
The important thing is that the contractor has now started the reinstatement work and every effort is being made to ensure that disturbed areas are reinstated satisfactorily and expeditiously. In this respect, we have invited the GLA to inspect progress next month.
P. L. KWAN Deputy Director of Architectural Services