XN000022-1994-04-22 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1994

PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS,

MR WILLIAM HUL, SAID UNDER THE REVISED SCHEME, THE CAPITAL GRANT TO ASSIST

ON FARMERS IN SETTING UP A TREATMENT SYSTEM

THEIR THE BEEN INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN SOME CASES FARMS

SUM IS

DOUBLE

TO REFLECT MORE ACCURATELY THE MARKET COST OF INSTALLING THESE FACILITIES.

HAS

-

A LOW INTEREST LOAN IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE AGRICULTURE AJD LOAN FUND TO MEET UP TO 50 PER CENT OF THE SETTING UP A TREATMENT SYSTEM.

1 F A FARMER CHOOSES TO CEASE BUSINESS, AN EX-GRATIA WILL BE PAID, THE RATES OF WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASED.

KADOORIE COST

OF

ALLOWANCE

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $53 MILLION TO BRING THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FOR CAPITAL GRANTS TO $115 MILLION.

AN INCREASE IN COMMITMENT BY $169 MILLION TO $790 MILLION HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED FOR THE PAYMENT OF EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE.

THE 10-YEAR

LIVESTOCK WASTE CONTROL SCHEME (1987

-

1997) IS

ESTIMATED TO COST $1,346 MILLION.

MR HUI SAID: "WE HAVE ALSO GONE SOME WAY IN MEETING FARMERS' REQUEST FOR FLEXIBILITY IN SELECTING A TREATMENT SYSTEM AND ALSO THEIR REQUEST FOR A LONGER LEAD TIME TO ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE DISCHARGE STANDARD.'

UNDER THE REVISED SCHEME, FARMERS ARE FREE TO CHOOSE THE SYSTEM MOST APPROPRIATE TO THEIR SITUATION SO LONG AS IT IS ACCEPTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) AS BEING CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING THE ULTIMATE DISCHARGE STANDARD OF 50:50 (MEASURED IN TERMS OF BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND AND SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN WATER).

"MOREOVER, FARMERS WILL BE GIVEN AT LEAST THREE YEARS ΤΟ ACHIEVE

THEN THIS STANDARD IN THREE PHASES, INITIALLY AT 250:250 AND 100:100 BEFORE ATTAINING THE FINAL LEVEL OF 50:50.

"THE STANDARD HAS BEEN PROVED ACHIEVABLE BY THE TREATMENT METHODS

USED RECOMMENDED BY THE EPD. IN FACT, A NUMBER OF FARMS HAVE

THE SUCCESSFULLY

PIG-ON-LITTER METHOD TO ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED STANDARD," HE SAID.

CHANGED RESTRICTION AREAS.

T

"HAVING CONSIDERED CAREFULLY FARMERS' VIEWS,

THE PROPOSAL OF BANNING ALL LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN

WE HAVE

ALSO

THE

OUR

WILL

INTENTION NOW IS THAT ONLY NEW FARMS AND RE-START NOT BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE IN A RESTRICTION AREA. THE BAN NOT APPLY TO EXISTING ACTIVE FARMS IN SUCH AREAS SO LONG AS THEY THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME FRAME.

FARMS

WILL

MEET

"MOREOVER, FARMERS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR A CAPITAL GRANT TO

RIGHT UP A TREATMENT SYSTEM MAY OPT OUT WITHOUT FORFEITING THEIR APPLY FOR EX-GRATIA PAYMENT FOR WINDING UP THEIR BUSINESS WITHIN YEAR," MR HUI SAID.

/MR HUI

SET

TO

ONE