Taiwan Government encourages installation of Flood Gates

In one of National Solidarity Party's press statement released after Singaporeans experiencing frequent flooding in Singapore, we have recommended the PAP government to consider subsidizing individual households and small businesses who are adversely affected by the floods. However, PAP government has not responded, neither did the main stream media dare to publish anything about it.

It seems that not only the British government has implemented the flood gate installation program, even the Taiwanese government has praised the effectiveness of such implementation of the flood gates.

After the big disastrous flooding caused by typhoon Morakot last year, the Taiwanese government responded by coordinating the installation of flood gates:

Morakot Relief and Reconstruction
Reconstruction Council: Government will coordinate installation of floodgates to boost flood prevention in disaster areas

Publication Date：08/27/2009
Deputy Executive Director Chern Jenn-chuan of the Southern Office of the Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council said August 27 that in order to improve flood-prevention capabilities of people in disaster areas, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan had directed the Construction and Planning Agency (CPA) of the Ministry of the Interior to provide full subsidies for installation of floodgates in Linbian and Jiadong townships. The CPA shall also oversee local government polling of township residents as soon as possible concerning their willingness to erect floodgates. As long as residents are willing, the CPA shall call on existing contract floodgate vendors to complete installation within seven days.

Chern went on to explain that Linbian and Jiadong are low-lying areas of Pingtung County, so the public in these rural townships should remain on high alert before the water has fully receded in order to cut post-disaster risks. He stressed that Premier Liu has instructed that comprehensive disaster response preparations be completed at both the central and local government levels to reduce future disaster damage or losses.

(Source: Southern Office, Morakot Post-disaster Reconstruction Council, Executive Yuan, August 27, 2009)

I sincerely hope that the PAP government will respond positively for the benefits of Singaporeans who are affected by such flash floods. The following is the news from Taiwan:

馬：高市退回防水閘門 補助 很可惜

* 2010-09-26
* 中國時報
* 【呂素麗、張立勳／綜合報導】

　馬英九總統昨日下午到災情慘重的高雄文藻外語學院巡視，他說，防洪不外乎是「外水不越堤防，內水不入家門」，他大力推崇防水閘門是「小兵立大功」，曾在台北市防洪上發揮極大效果，他強調，「高雄市安裝防水閘門比例不高，還把中央補助的八千萬元退回，很可惜！」

　馬英九總統是在聽取文藻外語學院簡報淹水災情之後，當著高雄市長陳菊、國民黨高雄市長參選人黃昭順及多名官員的面前，突然「數落」高雄市安裝防水閘門比例不高，令人感覺暗藏選戰機鋒。

　在場的陳菊基於禮貌，不便打斷總統致詞而未立即回應，但私下對此表示，防水閘門確實對防水有幫助，可是不具強迫性，市府不能勉強要求市民一定要裝設。她說，過去高雄市民對安裝不踴躍，未來市府願檢討並將鼓勵民眾增設防水閘門，一起來防災。

　馬英九在巡視時表示，這次颱風雨量超大，六小時下了六十公分的水上來，很難不淹水，而文藻大淹水主要是愛河的水進來，校園的水又排不出去所致。

　馬英九相當推崇防水閘門，他舉台北市為例，他說，台北市淹水淹怕了，「久病成良醫」，知道如何防水，其中以防水閘門效果最好，他當市長時，鼓勵市民安裝防水閘門，有八成安裝後很滿意；這次凡那比颱風，行政院已決定動用第二預備金，補助一半安裝防水閘門的費用，希望民眾多安裝。

　他指出，去年莫拉克颱風後，中央特別從預算一千二百億元中撥出十五億元補助縣市政府做防水閘門，屏東縣做了一萬一千多件、高雄縣做了一萬件，但高雄市只做了一千一百十二件，花了七百萬元，還把沒花完的八千萬元退還給中央，他覺得很可惜。

　根據教育部統計，凡那比颱風造成七百五十三所學校受損，災損共九億一千四百多萬元，高雄市占了三億多元，其中又以文藻外語學院及高雄大學最嚴重，災損各為一億六千萬元及一億二千萬元，兩校都在災後停課一周，下周一才恢復上課；立委黃昭順建議教育部，專案處理補助兩校的災損。

　馬英九總統昨日下午也前往高雄縣仁武工業區和永安漁會關心受災情況，高雄縣長楊秋興向馬總統提出治水計畫，在阿公店溪、典寶溪與曹公圳等水系，預計施做十三座滯洪池，包含土地與工程費用，總計約九十億。

　黃昭順則提議，永安地區淹水狀況不同，希望淹水補助標準降至卅公分，但礙於現行法令不可行，馬總統則表示，研議是否修法幫助凡那比颱風受災戶。