MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Water Pollution

The Ministry is drawing up a long-term programme in cooperation with other Ministries and authorities to control pollution in the Singapore River, Kallang Basin and their catchment areas. This will clean up the canals and water courses going through the city and keep the newly formed marina clear of smell and debris. We are also cleaning up our water catchment areas in Seletar, Kranji, Pandan and Jurong.

The main causes of pollution in our water catchment areas are pigs, ducks, squatters, trade and backyard activities, and waste water from villages. Where the Singapore and Kallang Rivers run through urban areas, additional sources of pollution are rundown sections, pockets of squatters, street hawkers, ship repairers, and lighters.

The water pollution control programme will take 10 years to complete. Industries causing serious water pollution will be relocated; waste water from dwellings will be diverted into sewers; sewage treatment plants will have to be built in areas which cannot be served by public sewers; and stricter enforcement action will be taken against water pollution.

Air Pollution

Over the past seven years air pollution from industrial and trade premises has been brought under control. We can now direct our attention to air pollution from motor vehicles. Periodic inspections will ensure that motor vehicles are properly maintained. New vehicles will be required to comply with more stringent exhaust emission standards. The new measures will not only reduce emission of smoke and toxic pollutants but also raise standards of roadworthiness and safety.

Hawkers

There are enough hawkers in Singapore. Many are street hawkers awaiting resiting in permanent premises. The policy of restricting the issue of new hawker licences will continue so as to prevent the proliferation of hawkers. The number of licensed hawkers has dropped from 29,896 in 1975 to 27,544 in 1978. There are still 6,986 street hawkers who need to be accommodated in markets/food centres. Within the next three years, 4,634 street hawkers will be resited in existing and new markets/food centres of this Ministry and the Housing and Development Board.

Sewerage

Three new sewage treatment works at Bedok, Seletar and Kranji costing $168 million will be completed in 1979 to serve public housing and other developments in those areas.

The public sewerage system will be further extended in Jurong, Bukit Timah, Woodlands, Nee Soon, Tampines, Telok Blangah, Bedok, East Coast Reclamation and Urban Renewal South. There are still pockets of premises served by the nightsoil bucket system in the city and urban areas. Over the next two years, the Ministry will extend sewers to some 1,900 such premises.

A total of $284 million will be spent on sewerage development in the next two years.

Drainage

The construction of drains and canals to serve public housing in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Clementi New Towns and other new towns will continue. The major reconstruction of Stamford Canal to serve the Tanglin and Orchard Road areas has started. The project, which is estimated to cost $32 million, will take about four years to complete.

Over the next five years, about $102 million will be spent on drainage projects.

Toilets

The state of many public conveniences is deplorable. This Ministry will coordinate a programme for better construction and maintenance of such toilets. Owners of shopping complexes, cinemas, restaurants, bus terminals and all buildings open to the public will be required to provide sufficient toilets and to improve the maintenance of their toilets. Better design, and maintenance of public toilets and better education of the public in the considerate and proper use of toilet facilities will mean cleaner public toilets.

E.W. BARKER Minister for the Environment