XN000022-1976-04-25 — Page 1

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香港政府

GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 1976

PRH 7

MORATORIUM ON ALL TEMPORARY FACTORIES

IN SHA TIN VALLEY

*****

SMALL FACTORY OPERATORS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SITES IN URBAN AREAS BECAUSE OF INCREASING DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN TURNING THEIR ATTENTIONS TO SHA TIN VALLEY.

SOME HAVE MADE APPROACHES TO THE LOCAL DISTRICT OFFICE AND BEEN GRANTED SHORT TERM WAIVERS OF THE TERMS OF THE CROWN LEASE WHICH ENABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND TO BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

OTHERS HAVE SET UP FACTORIES, WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT, IN BREACH OF THE CROWN LEASE.

A NUMBER OF THESE MANUFACTURERS ARE USING DIESEL OIL TO PROVIDE POWER FOR THEIR UNDERTAKINGS, RESULTING IN A SERIOUS SMOKE POLLUTION PROBLEM.

CERTAIN FACTORIES ARE ALSO DISCHARGING LIQUID EFFLUENT WHICH FINDS ITS WAY INTO AGRICULTURAL WATER CHANNELS.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS WARNED THESE MANUFACTURERS THAT IF THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO MODIFY THEIR FUEL SOURCE THEY MUST CEASE OPERATION.

FACTORY OPERATORS IN THE AREA HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVISED OF THE PERMISSIBLE FORMS OF FUEL, SUCH AS ELECTRICITY OR LIQUID PETROLEUM

EAS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE ADVERSE TOPOGRAPHICAL AND METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHIN SHA TIN VALLEY, AERIAL POLLUTANTS TEND TO REMAIN IN THE ATMOSPHERE FOR EXTENSIVE PERIODS.

HE SAID THAT TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS CREATED BY PROLIFERATION OF, ILLEGAL FACTORY OPERATORS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD TO IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON ISSUING SHORT TERM WAIVERS AND TENANCIES TO NEWCOMERS WISHING TO SET UP FACTORIES IN SHA TIN.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED: +LEGAL ACTION IS CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN AGAINST A NUMBER OF EXISTING OPERATORS TO ENFORCE BOTH THE TERMS OF THE CROWN LEASE AND THE CLEAN AIR ORDINANCE. IT IS HOPED THAT, THROUGH THIS ACTION, A NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE SEEN IN SHATIN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.+

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Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tal: 5-233101