XN000022-1976-03-01 — Page 3

+

ป

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1976

г

MR. CHAMBERS POINTS OUT THAT THE TANNERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN INFORMED BY MR. OXLEY THAT IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR SMALL ADDITIONAL AREAS OF LAND ADJOINING THEIR SITES AT KWAI CHUNG TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FACILITATE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TANNERIES. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE TANNERY GROUPS HAS TAKEN THIS UP WITH THE DISTRICT OFFICE, TSUEN WAN.

MR. CHAMBERS ADDS : +IT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT THIS LATE STAGE TO CONSIDER ANY ALTERNATIVE SITES.+

IN CONCLUSION, MR. CHAMBERS SAYS TWO MONTHS HAVE ELAPSED SINCE HIS PREVIOUS LETTER AND THERE ARE NOW ONLY FIVE MONTHS REMAINING BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF JULY 31.

+ MUST THEREFORE URGE YOU ONCE AGAIN TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO MAKE POSSIBLE A MOVE BY THAT DATE, THE DISTRICT OFFICER, TAI PO, IS PREPARED TO GIVE ALL ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE TH19 END.+

EPCOM BACKS GOVERNMENT ON REMOVAL OF TANNERIES

****

THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (EPCOM) HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROCEED WITH THE CLEARANCE OF THE TANNERIES AT SHEUNG SHUI IF THE OPERATORS HAVE NOT MOVED TO THE IR NEW SITES BY JULY 31, 1976.

AT A RECENT MEETING, MEMBERS OF EPCOM STRONGLY ENDORSED THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO REMOVE THE TANNERIES NOTING THAT THE OWNERS OF THE TANNERIES HAD BEEN GIVEN EVERY ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP THEIR NEW SITES AT KWAI CHUNG.

THESE SITES HAD BEEN GRANTED EARLY IN 1974 ON FAVOURABLE TERMS BUT NOT ONE OF THE OPERATORS HAD YET STARTED WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACTORY BUILDINGS, A SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.

+ IT IS NEARLY FOUR YEARS SINCE THE OWNERS WERE WARNED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO KWAI CHUNG OR FACE CLOSURE. THEY HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY THEREFORE TO AVOID THE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND REDUNDANCIES WHICH FORCEABLE CLEARANCE WOULD ENTAIL.

+THE APPALLING POLLUTION AT SHEUNG SHUI CAN NO LONGER BE TOLERATED AND CONSEQUENTLY MEMBERS OF EPCOM HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROCEED WITH CLEARANCE OF THE TANNERIES WHEN THE DEADLINE EXPIRES, HE SAID.

13