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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. RAFEEK-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary? You mentioned in your answer to the fourth question that "As regards labourers for refuse disposal ... the number now available is not sufficient to cope with the ordinary day-to-day cleansing work in the urban areas. The position has deteriorated in the past 6 months” and the Vice-Chairman has also mentioned in his answer to the tenth question that "there is no doubt that uncleared collections of refuse are potential breeding places for flies and harbourages for vermin. Such conditions, should they continue unabated, certainly constitute a sanitary nuisance and could become a serious hazard to health by contributing to the spread of epidemic disease. . So, will Government consider issuing gauze masks and gloves to refuse disposers, particularly those who work in the refuse barges and at the refuse dump, as well as to street sweepers?
CHAIRMAN: -I would like to consider the matter, Sir.
MR. RAFEEK:-Thank you, Sir.
MR. LI: Mr. Chairman, may I ask as a supplementary question whether there is any maternity leave for your female workers in the districts?
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, it is a long time since I dealt with establishment matters, but my recollection is that female conservancy workers are eligible for maternity leave in the same way as any other female workers in Government.
(28) MR. SOLOMON RAFEEK asked the following question:
Have the responsible personnel of the Urban Services Department noticed that at various building sites the contractors pile high their materials that often obstruct pedestrians' right of way or along the foot-paths, which contravene the law. Also, in many cases, stagnant pools of water collect, causing flies and mosquitoes to congregate and breed. In some cases, although the old buildings have been demolished and the tenants evicted, no building operations have commenced even for months after, which is unfair to the former evicted tenants as well as to residents nearby who have to put up with the nuisances. Will the Chairman please assure this Council that immediate action will be taken to put a complete stop to this state of affairs?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
305
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
Both the Police and the Buildings Ordinance Office make every attempt to prevent obstruction of streets, footpaths and in covered walkways, and the situation now is considerably better than it was several months ago. Some obstruction, for limited periods, is unavoidable. For example, where aggregate or sand, or other bulky building materials are delivered to building sites too small to allow the entry of a lorry, the materials must be dumped outside and then man-handled into the site.
In May of this year the Government Building Surveyor of the Public Works Department issued written warnings to contractors to keep all walkways, footpaths and carriage ways clear of obstructions and the supervisory staff of this department also take action by calling on contractors to remove building materials causing obstructions to the public roadway. Action by the Police has also been stepped up. This has resulted in a decrease in the incidence of obstructions to pedestrians in recent months. Whilst building operations in the Colony continue at their present rate, it seems unlikely that it will be possible to eliminate completely this source of annoyance, but every effort is made to reduce it to a minimum.
With regard to sanitary conditions, I am assured by my friend, the Deputy Director of Medical & Health Services, that building sites are normally treated as possible trouble spots requiring close supervision. They are inspected weekly by District Health Staff and also surveyed weekly for mosquito breeding by the anti-mosquito gangs. Any sanitary nuisances found are speedily dealt with; action includes draining or oiling of accumulations of stagnant water. Where nuisances persist, statutory notices are issued against owners; prosecution follows wherever mosquito breeding is discovered. Similar action is taken in respect of refuse found at these sites. Redevelopment work on sites of buildings which have been declared dangerous and demolished, frequently does not commence for a number of months for the simple reason that the owners had no idea the sites would become available for redevelopment. Thus they have to arrange for redevelopment plans to be drawn up by an architect, and approved by the Building Authority. In addition, it is most likely that financial backing for the scheme has to be arranged. I know of no way in which this
Page 165 of 312
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Page 164 of 312
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
+
MR. RAFEEK-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary? You mentioned in your answer to the fourth question that "As regards labourers for refuse disposal ... the number now available is not sufficient to cope with the ordinary day-to-day cleansing work in the urban areas. The position has deteriorated in the past 6 months” and the Vice-Chairman has also mentioned in his answer to the tenth question that "there is no doubt that uncleared collections of refuse are potential breeding places for flies and harbourages for vermin. Such conditions, should they continue unabated, certainly constitute a sanitary nuisance and could become a serious hazard to health by contributing to the spread of epidemic disease. . So, will Govern- ment consider issuing gauze masks and gloves to refuse disposers, particularly those who work in the refuse barges and at the refuse dump, as well as to street sweepers?
35
CHAIRMAN: -I would like to consider the matter, Sir.
MR. RAFEEK:-Thank you, Sir.
MR. LI: Mr. Chairman, may I ask as a supplementary question whether there is any maternity leave for your female workers in the districts?
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, it is a long time since I dealt with establishment matters, but my recollection is that female conservancy workers are eligible for maternity leave in the same way as any other female workers in Government.
(28) MR. SOLOMON RAFEEK asked the following question:
Have the responsible personnel of the Urban Services Depart- ment noticed that at various building sites the contractors pile high their materials that often obstruct pedestrians' right of way or along the foot-paths, which contravene the law. Also, in many cases, stagnant pools of water collect, causing flies and mosquitoes to congregate and breed. In some cases, although the old buildings have been demolished and the tenants evicted, no building operations have commenced even for months after, which is unfair to the former evicted tenants as well as to residents nearby who have to put up with the nuisances. Will the Chairman please assure this Council that im- mediate action will be taken to put a complete stop to this state of affairs?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
305
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
Both the Police and the Buildings Ordinance Office make every attempt to prevent obstruction of streets, footpaths and in covered walkways, and the situation now is con- siderably better than it was several months ago. Some obstruction, for limited periods, is unavoidable. For example, where aggregate or sand, or other bulky build- ing materials are delivered to building sites too small to allow the entry of a lorry, the materials must be dumped outside and then man-handled into the site.
In May of this year the Government Building Surveyor of the Public Works Department issued written warnings to contractors to keep all walkways, footpaths and carriage ways clear of obstructions and the supervisory staff of this department also take action by calling on contractors to remove building materials causing obstructions to the public roadway. Action by the Police has also been stepped up. This has resulted in a decrease in the incidence of obstructions to pedestrians in recent months. Whilst building operations in the Colony continue at their present rate, it seems unlikely that it will be possible to eliminate completely this source of annoyance, but every effort is made to reduce it to a minimum.
With regard to sanitary conditions, I am assured by my friend, the Deputy Director of Medical & Health Services, that building sites are normally treated as possible trouble spots requiring close supervision. They are inspected weekly by District Health Staff and also surveyed weekly for mosquito breeding by the anti-mosquito gangs. Any sanitary nuisances found are speedily dealt with; action includes draining or oiling of accumulations of stagnant water. Where nuisances persist, statutory notices are issued against owners; prosecution follows wherever mosquito breeding is discovered. Similar action is taken in respect of refuse found at these sites. Redevelopment work on sites of buildings which have been declared dangerous and demolished, frequently does not commence for a number of months for the simple reason that the owners had no idea the sites would become available for redevelopment. Thus they have to arrange for redevelopment plans to be drawn up by an architect, and approved by the Building Authority. In addition, it is most likely that financial backing for the scheme has to be arranged. I know of no way in which this
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