XN000022-1973-07-13 — Page 5

Friday, July 13, 1973

NEW LAWS TO CLEAN BUILDINGS

Tougher laws concerning the cleanliness of buildings are to be

introduced in support of the "Let's Clean Our Buildings" campaign which is

due to start next month as a continuing government effort to improve environmental

cleanliness in Hong Kong.

Among others, the new measures will enable notices to be served on

owners or tenants of buildings to limewash their premises, subject to certain

conditions, and for unsightly posters and bills to be removed.

The measures are contained in the Public Health and Urban Services

(Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 1973 which is published in today's gazette.

At present, the Director of Urban Services may only serve a notice

on an owner or occupier to limewash his premises if the condition of the

premises is injurious to the health of residents.

The bill widens the scope under which such a notice may be served

and empowers the Director to order premises to be limewashed if they constitute

a health hazard or sanitary nuisance or disfigure the amenities of any locality.

It also provides for regulations to be made so that a person, convicted

for failing to comply with a notice under the regulations, will be required to

pay the expenses for the necessary work carried out by the U.S.D.

Provisions are also made for the removal of posters which, by nature

of their condition, are unsightly.

The bill empowers the Director to abate a nuisance on premises where

Provision

the person causing it or the owner or occupier cannot be found.

is made for the costs to be recovered if the person is later found.

/5