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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
collection vehicle operators on 'Proper Household Waste Collection and Transportation'. These are intended to educate the private operators on proper handling of waste to prevent nuisance. Failing to do so will lead to prosecution action under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132.
MS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—In fact, many older stand-alone buildings do not have refuse chambers so that private refuse collection contractors have to be hired to do the job. We should be concerned about the environment of such buildings. I have two follow-up questions. Question one asks if the Department has since 1997 taken out prosecutions against individuals for contravention of guidelines or private refuse collection contractors for causing nuisance, and if yes, how many?
Question two concerns the number of persons to operate refuse collection vehicles assigned by private refuse collection contractors to collect and transport refuse. We read earlier from the newspaper that the drivers of private refuse collection vehicles operated alone without a helper. That was reported to be the reason for an accident in which a vehicle raced down the slope. I would like to know if our guidelines touch on the above points.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, from January 1997 up to the present, the Department took out 49 prosecutions under Section 4(1) of the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (Urban Council) By-laws (Cap 132) against private refuse collectors dumping refuse in public places. As for private run refuse collection vehicles dropping refuse on streets, there were 31 prosecutions under Section 9 of the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (Urban Council) By-laws (Cap 132) against the vehicles and their operators. The maximum penalty for the above offences are a fine of $25,000 and 6 months' imprisonment, but for the above mentioned prosecutions, they were fined an average of $500 only.
As for the second question concerning guidelines, we can surely step up actions and concern.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—If there are no more questions, we move on to our motion debate. The first motion will be moved by Mr. Lai Hok-lim. MR. LAI.
IV. MOTIONS
MR. LAI HOK-LIM moved the following motion:—
'Resolved that the Council appoint an academic institution or expert to compile the history of the Urban Council.'
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