XN000022-1989-11-10 — Page 25

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1989

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE MAGISTRATE HAD REMARKED THAT THE PRESENT MAXIMUM FINE APPEARED TO HAVE LOST ITS DETERRING

AND EFFECT THAT THE COURT WOULD TAKE A SERIOUS VIEW OF SIMILIAR REPETITIVE OFFENCES.

CONSIDERING REGULATIONS

LIMIT

AS WELL AS

AT PRESENT. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED. THE EPD WAS PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (SMOKE) WITH A VIEW OF TIGHTENING THE DARK SMOKE EMISSION RAISING THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR THE OFFENCE.

EFFORTS

THE AIR CONTROL GROUP OF THE EPD HAD BEEN MAKING GREAT IN THE CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION IN TSUEN WAN AND KWAI TSING DISTRICTS SINCE THE DECLARATION OF THE TSUEN WAN-KWAI CHUNG AIR CONTROL ZONE JANUARY 1987. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED,

IN

LAST YEAR. A TOTAL OF 97

CONVICTIONS WERK THIS AIR CONTROL SMOKE EMISSIONS WITHIN RANGED FROM $1.500 TO $5.000.

ENTERED FOR DARK ZONE. THE FINES IMPOSED

VENTILATION OF FACTORY CANTEENS PUT UNDER CONTROL

THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES (AMENDMENT OF SECOND SCHEDULE ORDER 1989 WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY) TO INCLUDE FACTORY CANTEENS IN THE LIST OF SCHEDULED PREMISES UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES ORDINANCE.

"THIS WOULD PUT THE VENTILATION OF FACTORY CANTEEN PREMISES UNDER THE SAME STATUTORY CONTROLS AS OTHER SCHEDULED PREMISES LIKE RESTAURANTS, DANCE HALLS, FUNERAL PARLOURS, CINEMAS AND THEATRES,

AND UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH

AND ORDINANCE

THE VENTILATION OF SCHEDULED PREMISES BY-LAWS MADE UNDER IT," THE HYGIENE ADVISER OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH, DR MOHAMED ALI, SAID.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES

HE STRESSED THAT THESE CONTROLS WERE NECESSARY TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO ENSURE

SAFETY WHERE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE GATHERED IN A CONFINED AREA FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.

FIRE

NOT

"PREVIOUSLY. VENTILATING SYSTEMS OF FACTORY CANTEENS. BEING SCHEDULED PREMISES, WERE CONTROLLED UNDER THE BUILDINGS

BUILDING ORDINANCE AND THE

(VENTILATING SYSTEMS) REGULATIONS MADE

ENSURING UNDER IT. THEY SERVE MAINLY FOR THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF SAFETY IN SUCH BUILDINGS WHERE VENTILATING SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED.

FIRE

"THE AMENDMENT ORDER WHICH COMES INTO IMMEDIATE EFFECT TODAY

FACTORY REQUIRES ALL

CANTEENS TO MEET THE SPECIFIRD VENTILATION STANDARD OF PROVIDING AN AMOUNT OF 17

OF 17 CUBIC METRES PER HOUR OF OUTSIDE AIR PER PERSON INSIDE THE CANTEEN," HE SAID.

/THE VENTILATING