TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1987
CAPITAL GRANT SCHEME FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS PROPOSED
AND LOAN
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A CAPITAL GRANT SCHEME FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED LIVESTOCK CONTROL SCHEME, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, ELAINE CHUNG, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY),
WASTE
MISS
SCHEME
IN
SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, MISS CHUNG SAID THE NEW DEMONSTRATED GOVERNMENT'S SINCERITY IN ASSISTING LIVESTOCK FARMERS THE FIGHT AGAINST POLLUTION.
SHE SAID THE INTENTION OF THE WASTE DISPOSAL (AMENDMENT} 1987 WAS TO REDUCE THE SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CAUSED BY INDISCRIMINATE DISPOSAL OF LIVESTOCK WASTE.
BILL
THE
MONTH OF
INTO HONG
KONG'S
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AROUND 50,000 TONNES PER LIVESTOCK WASTE ARE CURRENTLY DISCHARGED UNTREATED WATERCOURSES AND COASTAL WATERS.
SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE CAPITAL GRANT AND LOAN SCHEME WILL IMPLEMENTED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
BR
MISS CHUNG SAID THAT UNDER THE PROPOSED SCHEME, CAPITAL WOULD BE GIVEN TO LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN CONTROLLED AREAS TO
GRANTS HELP THEM COMPLY WITH CONTROLS IMPOSED UNDER THE LIVESTOCK WASTE CONTROL PROGRAMME AND THAT AGRICULTURAL LOANS WOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED TO FARMERS TO COVER ALL OR PART OF THE REMAINING COSTS OF INSTALLING TREATMENT FACILITIES.
IN
"THE SCHEME WILL ENABLE THE MAJORITY OF LIVESTOCK FARMERS CONTROLLED AREAS TO REMAIN IN BUSINESS IF THEY SO WISH. LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN BANNED AREAS WILL, AS ANNOUNCED PREVIOUSLY, BE ELIGIBLE FOR EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES FOR HAVING TO CEASE BUSINESS,
"
"IT IS PROPOSED THAT FARMERS IN CONTROLLED AREAS THE OPTION OF CHOOSING EITHER THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE BUSINESS OR A CAPITAL GRANT WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF DATE OF OF INTENDED CONTROLS FOR EACH AREA, SHE ADDED.
SHE SAID.
SHOULD HAVE FOR CEASING NOTIFICATION
THE SCHEME WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ON A PHASED BASIS TO COINCIDE WITH THE PHASING OF THE CONTROL SCHEME. FARMERS IN AREAS UNDER CONTROL WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANTS.
NOT YET
TREATMENT
"DIFFERENT LIVESTOCK FARMS MAY REQUIRE DIFFERENT FACILITIES. AS CAPITAL COSTS FOR TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR PIG AND POULTRY FARMS ARE DIFFERENT, IT IS PROPOSED THAT DIFFERENT SETS OF RATES, BASED ON ROUGHLY HALF THE ESTIMATED CAPITAL COST OF THE EQUIPMENT, SHOULD BE APPLIED TO DIFFERENT FARMS," MISS CHUNG SAID.
/SHE SAID