XN000022-1981-05-06 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1981

NINE KWAI CHUNG TANNERIES GET LICENCES

*****

NINE APPLICANTS HAVE SO FAR OBTAINED OFFENSIVE TRADE LICENCES FOR TANNERIES OPERATING IN TWO KWAI CHUNG INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.

DISCLOSING THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID A TOTAL OF 23 APPLICATIONS FOR OFFENSIVE TRADE LICENCE TO OPERATE TANNERIES IN THE WING LOI AND WING SHING INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS IN KWAI CHUNG HAD BEEN RECEIVED.

+APART FROM THE LICENCES WHICH HAVE BEEN ISSUED, 10 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVISIONALLY APPROVED SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN HEALTH REQUIREMENTS, AND FOUR ARE STILL BEING PROCESSED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

SOME OF THESE APPLICATIONS ARE FROM TANNERY OPERATORS PREVIOUSLY BASED AT SHEUNG SHUI, NEW TERRITORIES.

COMMENTING ON A RECENT REPORT ALLEGING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN SLOW IN ISSUING OFFENSIVE TRADE LICENCES TO TANNER IES OPERATING IN KWAI CHUNG, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THIS WAS NOT CORRECT.

HE SAID THE ISSUE OF AN OFFENSIVE TRADE LICENCE WAS NOT AUTOMATIC, AND THE OPERATION OF AN OFFENSIVE TRADE WITHOUT A LICENCE WAS A SERIOUS OFFENCE AGAINST WHICH THE NTSD TOOK STRINGENT ENFORCEMENT ACTION,

+THIS IS BECAUSE THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS CAN, IF NOT PROPERLY CONTROLLED, CAUSE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN THE FORM OF FLY NUISANCE, DISGUSTING SMELL AND LIQUID CHEMICAL POLLUTION OF STREAMS, SEWERS AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE OUTSTANDING APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCES IN KWAI CHUNG ARE LARGELY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE APPLICANTS TO COMPLY WITH THE BASIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS.

+DETAILS OF THESE HAVE BEEN CONVEYED INDIVIDUALLY TO APPLICANTS, AND EXPLAINED AT SEMINARS SPECIALLY ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF POTENTIAL APPLICANTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN URGED APPLICANTS WHO ARE STILL UNCLEAR ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLIANCE TO CONTACT THE LICENSING SECTION OF THE NTSD AT NINTH FLOOR, FOURSEAS BUILDING, 208-212 NATHAN ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI.

HE STRESSED THAT UNLICENSED TANNERY BUSINESSES FOUND IN OPERATION OR LICENSED PREMISES OPERATING IN BREACH OF THE IR COND IT IONS OF LICENCE WOULD BE LIABLE TO SUMMONS ACTION WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE.

15