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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, and the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Xu Qin, officiated at the 30th Anniversary Ceremony of Shenzhen River Regulation cum Stage IV Design Achievements Exhibition held today (October 9) by the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government.
Since the establishment of a Joint Working Group on Shenzhen River Regulation in 1982, the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Governments have been working closely together, bringing to completion the Shenzhen River Regulation Project Stages I to III, which cover a 13.5-kilometre section of the river. The flow capacity of the section from the confluence of the Ping Yuen River to the Shenzhen River estuary at Deep Bay has been significantly increased, basically relieving the flooding problems of the two places.
Stage IV of the project will further enhance the flood protection levels of the upstream section of the Shenzhen River as well as the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point area. The Hong Kong Government has allocated about HK$400 million for advance works that include re-provisioning the 4.3km boundary patrol road for the subsequent improvements to the river. The advance works of Stage IV began in March this year and the stage is scheduled to complete in 2017. The flood protection level of this river section will be upgraded to withstand rainstorms with a return period of one in 50 years.
The Stage IV works will regulate a river section of about 4.5km. Stage IV has adopted an ecological river design concept with rehabilitation and conservation of the existing ecosystem as key considerations. To improve the ecological value of the Shenzhen River, the natural river bed and bends will be preserved as far as practicable. Grasscrete panels will be used for the river embankments.
Mrs Lam and Mr Xu expressed gratitude towards those who have participated in the Shenzhen River Regulation Project. Together with other officiating guests, they presented the 30th Anniversary Special Contribution Awards to 10 staff members from Hong Kong and Shenzhen to commend their remarkable achievements in the project.
Other officiating guests at today's ceremony were the Executive Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Lu Ruifeng; the Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Gao Zhenhuai; the Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Xu Chongguang; the Director of the Water Affairs Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Zhang Qiwen; the Secretary for Development, Mr Paul Chan; the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Wai Chi-sing; the Director of Drainage Services, Mr Chan Chi-chiu; and the Deputy Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Enoch Lam.
Ends/Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:55
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