RECLAMATION AT PONGGOL

4.53 p.m.

The Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the Motion* standing in the name of the Minister for Law as it appears on the Order Paper.

*The Motion reads as follows:

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and sea-bed off Ponggol containing an area of about 277 hectares, as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECALAMATION PLAN NO. 1/83" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.

Sir, at present, large parts of Ponggol are used for commercial pig farming. The leases for these intensive farms will expire by 1992. In the long term, Ponggol will be developed by the Housing and Develop- ment Board for public housing. To build up the land stock for future housing needs, it is proposed to reclaim the areas shown coloured pink on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 1/83", a copy of which is displayed in the library of this House for the information of hon. Members.

The proposed reclamation will yield about 277 hectares of land. Approximately 133 hectares will be regained by filling up the swamps while the remaining 144 hectares will be reclaimed from the sea. Fill for the reclamation, about 14.4 million cubic metres, will be obtained from the Tampines cut site, overburden at the Pulau Ubin granite quarry and dredged seabed material off Ponggol. The proposed reclamation will take three years to complete at an estimated cost of $136 million.

On completion of the reclamation, pending the development of the reclaimed land for public housing, parts of the reclaimed land will be used for industrial purposes, relocation of activities affected by public schemes and intensive pig farming.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and sea-bed off Ponggol containing an area of about 277 hectares, as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 1/83" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.