FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1979
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ILLEGAL GRAVES IN THE NT EXHUMED
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ILLEGAL GRAVES IN HUNG UK TSUEN, YUEN LONG, ARE NOW BEING CLEARED BY THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE, IT IS AN OFFENCE TO BURY THE DEAD OUTSIDE GAZETTED CEMETERIES WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES.
+TO ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO BURY THE DEAD ANYWHERE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE NTSD HAS STARTED TAKING ACTION TO CLEAR MORE THAN 260 ILLEGAL GRAVES AND 22 GROUPS OF URNS IN HUNG UK TSUEN, AN ILLEGAL BURIAL BLACK SPOT IN THE AREA,+ HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT A SIMILAR EXHUMATION EXERCISE WILL BE CONDUCTED IN TAI PO KAU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT REMOVAL NOTICES HAD BEEN POSTED ON GRAVES AND URNS IN HUNG UK TSUEN BEFORE THE CHING MING FESTIVAL AND QUITE A NUMBER OF ILLEGAL GRAVES AND URNS HAD BEEN CLEARED BY THEIR OWNERS SINCE THEN.
+REMAINS OF THE ILLEGAL BURIALS EXHUMED BY THE NTSD WILL
BE RE-INTERRED IN SANDY RIDGE CEMETERY,+ HE SAID.
HOWEVER HE ASSURED INDIGENOUS NT VILLAGERS THAT THE
GRAVES OF THE IR ANCESTORS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED AS THEIR TRADITION OF BURYING THEIR DEAD IN NATIVE LAND IS RESPECTED.
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