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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So Yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (March 29) :
Question:
In respect of my question raised on the 1st of this month concerning curbing the proliferation of Mikania micrantha, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has conducted any survey on the respective areas of land covered by Mikania micrantha within the jurisdiction of the Lands Department and the Highways Department; if it has, of the survey results; if not, whether it will do so; if it will, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) of the number of hectares of land on which Mikania micrantha was removed by using the herbicide "Sulfometuron-methyl" last year; and
(c) whether it has any plan to use Sulfometuron-methyl to fully replace the practice of hand-weeding for removal of Mikania micrantha in all places other than sites near water sources or active agricultural lands; if it has, of the details of the plan; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
Highways Department (HyD) has a routine maintenance programme in place since 2004, under which maintenance inspections will be conducted for land under their management at least once every twelve months. Mikania micrantha will be removed when identified during the inspections. In the past two years, HyD has cleared about 10 hectares of land covered by Mikania micrantha. The growth of Mikania micrantha is under effective control as a result of the maintenance programme. HyD does not consider it necessary to conduct additional surveys on the spread of Mikania micrantha for land under their management.
Lands Department (LandsD) will, subject to the availability of resources, step up their monitoring work on black spots of land under their management where Mikania micrantha is likely to grow. LandsD will study the possibility of conducting a survey on the proliferation of Mikania micrantha on land under their management.
In 2005, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) cleared 17 850 square metres (or about 1.8 hectares) of land covered by Mikania micrantha by applying Sulfometuron-methyl.
Sulfometuron-methyl, like other chemical control measures, has to be used with caution. It cannot be applied in certain locations, such as sites near water sources, land under cultivation or ecologically sensitive areas. Hence, the use of Sulfometuron-methyl cannot completely replace manual clearance of Mikania micrantha. AFCD staff will decide on the most suitable control measure for removing Mikania micrantha on any particular site on a case-by-case basis and will use Sulfometuron-methyl where appropriate.
Ends/Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:59
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