Debated in Parliament on 7 Aug 2024.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether an update can be provided on the status of the clean-up work on our beaches and coastal areas which had to be carried out following the oil spill at the Pasir Panjang Terminal on 14 June 2024.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will also address the question for written answer filed by Mr Melvin Yong.
The clean-up operation is progressing well. We have completed the first phase of the clean-up. The second phase of the clean-up which focuses on difficult-to-clean areas like rock bunds, breakwaters and oil trapped deeper in the sand is well underway. Some beaches have progressed to the final phase, where volunteers are mobilised to participate in the clean-up and accelerate the re-opening of the beaches.
Our beaches will be re-opened as clean-up operations are completed. As of today, Siloso Beach at Sentosa has re-opened for all water activities. Several parts of East Coast Park have re-opened for land-based activities. We plan to complete the cleaning of all affected beaches within the next one month or so.
Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for the response. I have two supplementary questions. What are the total expenses incurred so far for the clean-up of our beaches and coastal waters? Does the Government have an estimate of the losses suffered by our locally based businesses as a result of the pollution to our beaches and coastal waters? Can the Government provide an update of the assistance which the Government has been rendering to these businesses so far?
Mr Speaker, we have not, at this point in time, totalled up the costs of the expenses. We are focusing our attention on the actual cleaning-up which I think deserves our priority and also our urgent attention. As to estimation of losses and also updates on other business considerations, I think this is not related to the Parliamentary Question that Mr Dennis Tan had filed. So, I do not have the answer for him.
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