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Friday, September 28, 1973
NEW HOMES FOR DISPLACED VILLAGERS
More than $50 million is being spent by the government on providing
new homes and compensation for 96 families who will be displaced by the
High Island water scheme.
Announcing this today, Mr. Clive Oxley, District Officer, Sai Kung,
said that the affected villagers would be re-accommodated on a choice site
at Sai Kung Town in a modern community complex specially designed to meet
their specific needs.
Of the total sum involved, an estimated $39 million is being
used to provide new homes, shops, schools, seven ancestral halls and A
burial ground.
In addition, $12.6 million will be paid out as compensation for
the loss of buildings, farmlands and crops.
The land at present occupied by the villagers is essential for
development of the High Island water scheme which will provide 60,000
million gallons of water to meet Hong Kong's future needs,
Close consultation with the villagers has been in progress since
the early planning stages of the scheme, and the importance of meeting
a tight construction schedule has been strongly emphasised.
Resumption notices will be posted early next week as formal notice
that the land involved will revert to the Crown on January 1 next year.
Special arrangements have been made to allow for the villagers
to remove their ancestral temples to a now site near Sai Kung Town on a day
which they have singled out as being particularly propitious.
/Compensation
J