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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Permission will be granted for exchanges provided no over-crowding or under-occupation results in either of the rooms as a result of the exchange. This means that both families concerned should be of an appropriate size for the rooms involved.
The above procedure is contained in an information leaflet in Chinese available at all estate offices.
(Mr. D. J. R. BLAKER & Mrs. C. J. SYMONS left the meeting at this point).
MR. RAFEEK:-Thank you.
MR. BERNACCHI:-As a personal statement I must say that, whether Mr. RAFEEK is aware of it or not, I know from my Ward cases in Chai Wan that the tenants of Resettlement Estates are well aware of this policy.
MR. C. K. CHAN:-Mr. Chairman, in view of the long and detailed statement made by Mr. BERNACCHI, Chairman of the Resettlement Policy Committee, I would now like to withdraw question No. 9. I can't spare the time to listen to the long answer, but I want to express the point that I filed this question as soon as I knew about the Chong Hing Mansion. I am very glad that all of us colleagues in the Urban Council are so hard-working in getting a solution. For this I thank every colleague.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, I should have thought the answer was shorter than the statement by Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-In view of that, I think I will take it that the answer is tabled.
(The tabled answer read as follows:-
In answer to this question, I can add nothing to what I have already said in the statement I made at the beginning of this meeting.)
(10) MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE asked the following question:
The areas surrounding Resettlement Estates in Kowloon seem to be becoming the dumping ground for industrial refuse. For example, on the approaches to Tsz Wan Shan Estate, there is a large mound of empty plastic containers. This indiscriminate dumping is both unhygienic and unsightly.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
449
Why has Government permitted this to be carried out, and what steps are being taken to remedy this situation?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the dumping of industrial refuse in areas surrounding resettlement estates.
The dumping of refuse is, of course, not confined to areas surrounding resettlement estates, but is a fairly widespread practice throughout Hong Kong. If dumping creates an obstruction, action is taken by the Urban Services Department to clear. If the culprit is caught dumping, or can be traced (and this unfortunately is rare), he is prosecuted.
If illegal dumping takes place on Crown land, the remedy adopted is to mount a combined operation involving the Public Works Department, the Urban Services Department and, if necessary, the Police to clear the area.
With regard to the specific area referred to by Mr. FORSGATE in his question, the owner of the plastic containers has been traced by the Urban Services Department. He will be directed to remove those containers.
MR. FORSGATE:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am surprised at the comment towards the end of the second paragraph, that it is difficult to trace a culprit. I only asked this question a couple of days ago, and with remarkable alacrity the detectors have got on to the dumper. I don't propose to be a snooper for the Department but there are many parts of Kowloon, Hong Kong and the New Territories where this takes place. But does not this emphasize a problem of disposing of industrial garbage in all shapes, Mr. Chairman, which we raised before?
(Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN left the meeting at this point).
CHAIRMAN:-Indeed it does. The question of disposal rests with the industrialists, Mr. FORSGATE.
MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Does the answer imply, Mr. Chairman, that in this case no prosecution will be taken?
CHAIRMAN:-I think, Mr. Lo, that the gentleman in question will be asked to remove his rubbish. If he doesn't, we may consider prosecuting and clearing the area.
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Page 235 of 241
448
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Permission will be granted for exchanges provided no over- crowding or under-occupation results in either of the rooms as a result of the exchange. This means that both families concerned should be of an appropriate size for the rooms involved.
The above procedure is contained in an information leaflet in
Chinese available at all estate offices.
(Mr. D. J. R. BLAKER & Mrs. C. J. SYMONS left the meeting at this point).
MR. RAFEEK:-Thank you.
MR. BERNACCHI:-As a personal statement I must say that, whether Mr. RAFEEK is aware of it or not, I know from my Ward cases in Chai Wan that the tenants of Resettlement Estates are well aware of this policy.
MR. C. K. CHAN:-Mr. Chairman, in view of the long and detailed statement made by Mr. BERNACCHI, Chairman of the Resettlement Policy Committee, I would now like to withdraw question No. 9. I can't spare the time to listen to the long answer, but I want to express the point that I filed this question as soon as I knew about the Chong Hing Mansion. I am very glad that all of us colleagues in the Urban Council are so hard-working in getting a solution. For this I thank every colleague.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I should have thought the answer was shorter than the statement by Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:--In view of that, I think I will take it that the answer is tabled.
(The tabled answer read as follows:-
In answer to this question, I can add nothing to what I have already said in the statement I made at the beginning of this meeting.)
(10) MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE asked the following question:
The areas surrounding Resettlement Estates in Kowloon seem to be becoming the dumping ground for industrial refuse. For example, on the approaches to Tsz Wan Shan Estate, there is a large mound of empty plastic containers. This indiscriminate dumping is both unhygienic and unsightly.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
449
Why has Government permitted this to be carried out, and what steps are being taken to remedy this situation?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the dumping of industrial refuse in
areas surrounding resettlement estates.
The dumping of refuse is, of course, not confined to areas surrounding resettlement estates, but is a fairly wide- spread practice throughout Hong Kong. If dumping creates an obstruction, action is taken by the Urban Services Department to clear. If the culprit is caught dumping, or can be traced (and this unfortunately is rare), he is prosecuted.
If illegal dumping takes place on Crown land, the remedy adopted is to mount a combined operation involving the Public Works Department, the Urban Services Department and, if necessary, the Police to clear the area.
With regard to the specific area referred to by Mr. FORSGATE in his question, the owner of the plastic containers has been traced by the Urban Services Department. He will be directed to remove those containers.
MR. FORSGATE:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am surprised at the comment towards the end of the second paragraph, that it is difficult to trace a culprit. I only asked this question a couple of days ago, and with remarkable alacrity the detectors have got on to the dumper. I don't propose to be a snooper for the Department but there are many parts of Kowloon, Hong Kong and the New Territories where this takes place. But does not this emphasize a problem of disposing of industrial garbage in all shapes, Mr. Chairman, which we raised before?
(Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN left the meeting at this point).
CHAIRMAN:-Indeed it does. The question of disposal rests with the industrialists, Mr. FORSGATE.
MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Does the answer imply, Mr. Chairman, that in this case no prosecution will be taken?
CHAIRMAN:-I think, Mr. Lo, that the gentleman in question will be asked to remove his rubbish. If he doesn't, we may consider prosecuting and clearing the area.
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