XN000022-1989-10-27 — Page 4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1989

THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR AN OFFENCE UNDER THESE PROVISIONS IS 850,000 FOR THE FIRST CONVICTION AND $100,000 FOR THE SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION, WITH A MAXIMUM DAILY FINE OF $10,000 FOR A CONTINUING OFFENCE.

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THE SPOKESMAN SAID WITH THE COMING INTO OPERATION OF THE "NEIGHBOURHOOD" AND "INDUSTRIAL" PROVISIONS ON NOVEMBER

AND WITH THE REQUIRING OF CONSTRUCTION NOISE PERMITS TO CARRY OUT PERCUSSIVE PILING OPERATIONS FROM NOVEMBER 17, ALL THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO OPERATION A9 PREVIOUSLY UNDERTAKEN.

"IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS WITH A FAIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE AND AT THE SAME TIME PASSING ONTO THEM BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF NOISE CONTROL TECHNIQUES, THE EPD IS CONDUCTING A SERIES OF SEMINARS FOR FACTORY AND RESTAURANT OPERATORS IN COLLABORATION WITH VARIOUS DISTRICT OFFICES.

"FOR THE MORE TECHNICALLY INCLINED, THE EPD IS TEAMING UP WITH TRADE AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES SUCH AS THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES. THE HONG KONG CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL TO PRESENT TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SEMINARS, HE SAID.

CONCERNING THE EFFECT OF THE NIGHT TIME CONSTRUCTION NOISE CONTROL PROVISIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR CLOSE TO THRRE MONTHS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT EPD HAS ISSUED 209 PERMITS AND REJECTED 199 APPLICATIONS.

PERMITS ARE ONLY ISSUED WHEN THE EXPECTED NOISE EMISSIONS COMPLY WITH OBJECTIVE CRITERIA DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE.

THE EPD SPOKESMAN ALSO REMINDED PILING CONTRACTORS OF THE NEED TO HOLD A PERMIT FOR PILING OPERATIONS FROM NOVEMBER 17 TO AVOID PROSECUTION. THE CONTROLS APPLY EQUALLY ΤΟ PILING OPERATION AND CONTRACTS WHICH COMMENCED BEFORE NOVEMBER 17.

THE EPD HAS ALSO PUBLISHED TWO NEW INFORMATION BOOKLETS ΤΟ PROVIDE THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS WITH PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO COMMON INDUSTRIAL NOISE PROBLEMS AND TO INFORM THEM OF THE RELEVANT STATUTORY CONTROL PROVISIONS.

A POCKET-SIZE INFORMATION CARD OUTLINING THE CLASSIFICATION OF VARIOUS NOISE CONTROL PROVISIONS AND THE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS FOR THE LODGING OF COMPLAINTS 18 ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

ANY ENQUIRIES ON THE PROVISIONS OF THE NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE COULD BE MADE TO THE NOISE CONTROL GROUP OF THE EPD ON THE 27TH FLOOR, SOUTHORN CENTRE, 130 HENNESSY ROAD, HONG KONG. THE TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 5-8351124..

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