Govt OKs recommendations for ecological mitigation measures

The approval requires CEDD to follow certain conditions.

The government approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node with certain conditions.

The Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) submitted the report.

The report states that mitigating ecological and fisheries impacts on the Ramsar Site, Mai Po Lung Village Egretry, and Mai Po Village Egretry is achievable.

Such can be accomplished by creating environmental capacity through reprofiling pond banks, pond drain down, and trash-fish stocking to achieve a no-net-loss in ecological function and wetland capacity.

Additionally, the report recommended preserving bird flight corridors and flight paths and establishing non-building eco-interfaces and wildlife corridors to facilitate the movement of Eurasian otters.

The approval requires the CEDD to submit detailed designs and implementation plans for the ecological mitigation measures, refrain from doing pond-filling works before enhanced fish pond construction, and establish an environmental committee.