TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1993
SEWAGE CHARGE CONSULTATION CONTINUES UNTIL NOVEMBER 30
*
CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSED SEWAGE CHARGING SCHEME WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE END OF NOVEMBER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS BRANCH SAID: "THE EXTENSION OF THE DEADLINE ORIGINALLY SET ON NOVEMBER 15 WILL GIVE PEOPLE MORE TIME TO SUBMIT THEIR VIEWS.
"
"WE UNDERSTAND A LEGCO MOTION DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN TENTATIVELY SET ON DECEMBER 1.
OVER 30
THE SPOKESMAN SAID: "SO FAR, THE BRANCH HAS RECEIVED WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS AND HAS CLOSELY MONITORED THE LARGE BODY OF OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE MEDIA.
"IN ADDITION, WE HAVE BRIEFED A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERESTED PARTIES INCLUDING THE LEGCO ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS PANEL, THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, FIVE DISTRICT BOARDS, POLITICAL GROUPS AND MAJOR COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS.
"IN GENERAL, THE VIEWS WE HAVE CANVASSED SO FAR ARE IN SUPPORT OF
URGENT THE POLLUTERS-PAY PRINCIPLE AND IN FULL RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO DEAL WITH WATER POLLUTION MORE EFFECTIVELY.
I
HAVE
"THIS OPINION IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE RESULTS OF SEPARATE POLLS CONDUCTED BY TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES, COPIES OF WHICH BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO US.
"WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED DIVERGENT VIEWS AS то WHETHER THE PROPOSED CHARGING LEVEL IS TOO HIGH FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A LEVY AT ALL ON DOMESTIC USERS.
WAS
PAY",
AN
THE SPOKESMAN REITERATED THAT THE PROPOSED CHARGING SCHEME WORKED
GENERALLY OUT
ON THE BASIS OF "POLLUTERS SHOULD APPROACH WHICH HAS BEEN WELL ACCEPTED IN OTHER BIG CITIES.
"SINCE HOUSEHOLDERS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO 60 PER CENT OF THE ENTIRELY TOTAL ORGANIC WASTE DISCHARGED, IT IS UNFAIR TO EXCLUDE THEM FROM THE SCHEME.
"MOREOVER, SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REDUCE DOMESTIC CHARGES. THESE INCLUDE THE GOVERNMENT'S FULL FUNDING OF THE
PROGRAMME
17 AND EXEMPTION FOR
PER CENT $12 BILLION CAPITAL
OF HOUSEHOLDS WHO CONSUME LESS THAN 13 UNITS OF WATER EVERY FOUR MONTHS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
TI
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