XN000022-1983-04-13 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983

SQUATTING PROBLEM EXPLAINED

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THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE FIRE AND HEALTH HAZARDS POSED BY ILLEGAL STRUCTURES IS THE IR COMPLETE REMOVAL, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR AKERS-JONES WAS REPLYING TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT ON MEASURES TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE SUCH HAZARDS AND TO PREVENT SIMILAR SQUATTING IN FUTURE.

HE EXPLAINED THAT BEFORE A SITE WAS HANDED OVER TO A PARTICULAR PARTY, THE LANDS AND HOUSING DEPARTMENTS WOULD CLEAR ALL ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AND OTHER ENCUMBRANCES.

ONCE THE SITE WAS HANDED OVER, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING IT FREE FROM ILLEGAL SQUATTING WOULD REST WITH THE GRANTEE OF THE LAND.

REFERRING TO THE RECENT BACK LANE CLEARANCE IN HANG ON STREET IN KWUN TONG TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NING PO COLLEGE'S EXTENSION, MR AKERS-JONES RECALLED THAT A CLEAR SITE WAS HANDED OVER TO THE SCHOOL IN FEBRUARY 1979.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE SCHOOL WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE LAND CLEAR AND ILLEGAL STRUCTURES WERE BUILT ON IT AND ON THE CROWN LAND IN THE BACK LANE OF HANG ON STREET.

AFTER COURT BAILIFFS EXECUTING A WRIT OF RESTITUTION FOR THE SCHOOL HAD MET WITH STRONG RESISTANCE FROM THE SQUATTERS THE SCHOOL SOUGHT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT OFFICE, AND THE STRUCTURES ON THE LEASED LAND WERE CLEARED IN APRIL LAST YEAR.

+UNFORTUNATELY ONCE AGAIN THE CLEARED SITE WAS NOT FENCED OFF BY THE SCHOOL AND THE SQUATTERS SOON RETURNED TO REBUILD THE IR HUTS.

+THE SITUATION IN THE ADJOINING BACK LANE HAD DETERIORATED IN THE MEANTIME AND POSED A SERIOUS THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND HYGIENE TO THE NEIGHBOURING RESIDENTS,

+THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD, THEREFORE PLANNED ANOTHER OPERATION TO CLEAR ALL THE STRUCTURES.

+HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE COMMITMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED, THEIR CLEARANCE COULD NOT BE EFFECTED UNTIL MARCH 29 THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

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