XN000022-1978-05-10 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1978

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FOOD STALL SITES PROVIDED AT INDUSTRIAL ESTATES

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THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL ESTATES CORPORATION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF INDUSTRIAL ESTATES, PLANS TO PROVIDE AMENITY AREAS IN THE ESTATES TO INCLUDE PLACES WHERE WORKERS WILL BE ABLE TO BUY CHEAP HOT MEALS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HOW, ALEX WU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. JONES SAID LAND WAS ALSO BEING SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED

IN OTHER NEW INDUSTRIAL AREAS FOR COOKED-FOOD STALLS TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF WORKERS.

AS REGARDS THE OLDER INDUSTRIAL AREAS, HE SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH LAND AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE COOKED-FOOD STALLS ON THE SAME SCALE AS IN THE NEW AREAS.

+SOME FACTORIES DO PROVIDE CANTEENS ON THE IR PREMISES BUT MANY JORKERS HAVE TO RELY ON CATERING FACILITIES IN NEARBY COMMERCIAL AREAS,+ MR. JONES SAID.

PLANS TO REBUILD 73 OLD TYPE ESTATE BLOCKS

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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS PLANNING TO REBUILD 73 MARK | AND II ESTATE BLOCKS DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO IMPROVE EXISTING COMMUNAL FACILITIES.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT SAID: +THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS WELL AWARE THAT COMMUNAL EATHROOM AND TOILET FACILITIES IN THE MARK AND MARK | ESTATES BUILT 24 YEARS AGO ARE NOT UP TO THE STANDARDS OF LATER ESTATES.+

EUT MR. SCOTT POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY IN WHICH THESE BLOCKS WERE DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED, THERE WAS LITTLE THE AUTHORITY COULD DO TO IMPROVE EXISTING FACILITIES FURTHER.

+THE FACT IS,+ MR. SCOTT SAID, THAT MODERN FACILITIES CAN

BE PROVIDED ONLY BY CONVERSION OR REDEVELOPMENT.+

+OF THE 240 MARK 1/11 BLOCKS, 21 HAVE SO FAR BEEN EITHER CONVERTED OR REDEVELOPED.

+ IT IS PLANNED TO REBUILD 27 MORE BLOCKS DURING THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND 73 BLOCKS DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS,+ MR. SCOTT SAID.

MR. SCOTT POINTED OUT THAT A MAJOR PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE DOORS AND SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN THESE COMMUNAL AREAS AT A COST OF $3.7 MILLION WAS COMPLETED IN 1974.

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+CLEANSING CONTRACTORS ARE EMPLOYED TO WASH THE AREAS DAILY, + MR. SCOTT SAID. +SINCE 1973, THERE HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROGRAMME TO REDUCE OVERCROWDING IN THESE ESTATES, AND ONE EFFECT OF THIS PROGRAMME IS TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON COMMUNAL FACILITIES,+ HE ADDED.

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