WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1976
14
REQUESTS BY TA HOM VILLAGE FIRE VICTIMS REJECTED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS REJECTED THE REQUESTS BY BUSINESS OPERATORS, WHOSE UNDERTAKINGS WERE DESTROYED IN THE TAI HOM VILLAGE FIRE ON MARCH 5, FOR PERMISSION TO REBUILD ON THE ORIGINAL SITE, OR ALLOCATION OF NEW SITES OR FLATTED FACTORIES.
IN REPLY TO A PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SAID IN A LETTER THAT AS THEIR UNDERTAKINGS EXISTED IN APPARENT SAFETY, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TOLERATED THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ILLEGÁL.
+SINCE EVENTS HAVE NOW PROVED THEM TO HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FIRE RISK, IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO ALLOW THEM SIMPLY TO BE RE-ESTABLISHED UNDER THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS,+ HE SAID,
AS REGARDS ANOTHER REQUEST FOR THE ALLOCATION OF NEW SITES, THE SECRETARY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE, BECAUSE LAND WAS NOT PROVIDED INDISCRIMINATELY AND FREE OF CHARGE FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES.
THERE IS
+ IT IS NORMALLY SOLD ON OPEN MARKET FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS PROPERLY LOCATED AND DESIGNED FOR THE PURPOSE. NO POLICY UNDER WHICH FREE LAND CAN BE PROVIDED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SQUATTER INDUSTRY, HE ADDED.
ANOTHER REQUEST FOR FACTORY UNITS TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE BUSINESS OPERATORS WAS ALSO REJECTED.
THE SECRETARY EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS ONLY POSSIBLE WHERE SQUATTER UNDERTAKINGS DESTROYED BY FIRE WERE COVERED BY THE RELEVANT SQUATTER CONTROL SURVEY.
ALTHOUGH THE BUSINESS OPERATORS CLAIMED THAT THEIR BUSINESSES HAD EXISTED FOR OVER TEN YEARS, HE POINTED OUT, THEY DID NOT MEET THE BASIC SURVEY REQUIREMENT.
THEY WERE ALSO ADVISED BY THE HOUSING
DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR WORKSHOP UNITS IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S FLATTED FACTORY BLOCKS AT KOWLOON BAY AND ELSEWHERE, BUT THEY DECLINED TO DISO.
THE SECRETARY REMINDED THEM THAT THIS POSSIBILITY REMAINED OPEN, AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WOULD INFORM THEM OF THE DETAILS OF THE NEXT TENDER.
HE REITERATED SOME OF THE POINTS HE MADE IN A PREVIOUS LETTER TO THE BUSINESS OPERATORS.
HE SAID