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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
When Architectural Services Department's conclusions are received, a proposal will be made to Markets and Street Traders Select Committee but any solution is likely to be fairly extensive, and involve considerable disruption to the lessees, who have in the past resisted any proposal which has involved inconvenience to themselves. Architectural Services Department have already confirmed it is not feasible to air condition the present market building.
It may be of interest to note that in 1987 the Council was on the verge of approving a project to address this problem by the provision of a mechanical ventilation system comprising air ducts, exhaust fans and hoods. This necessitated closure of the market for at least 2 months and as such, met with strong resistance from stall operators. Thereafter, make-shift ventilation improvement works only could be effected. One possible solution being considered by the Architectural Services Department might be similar to that proposed in 1987 except that the work would be carried out by phases, making use of the vacant market stalls in order to keep the disruption to the market business to the minimum. In this connection the full cooperation of the market lessees in agreeing to making way for the improvement works would be essential.
In respect of the second question two large rectangular refuse bins have been provided by the Department in a vacant stall for the convenient use of the stall operators. These bins are provided with proper covers and maintained in a clean condition. As they are only intended to contain wastes generated from the market stalls in the course of cooked food business and are emptied regularly and frequently by staff of the Department, no sanitary problem has actually arisen. It should be noted that a permanent refuse collection point is located only about 20 metres from the market at Cheung Shun Street. The stall operators can also conveniently make use of this refuse collection point for the disposal of wastes.
Notwithstanding the existence of a permanent refuse collection point in very close proximity to the market, the Department is considering the possibility of locating the large rectangular refuse bins in a location within the cooked food market but isolated from the occupied stalls.
As regards the third question, the Department has approached both the Planning Department and the District Lands Officer to obtain a better site for permanent relocation of the market. However, because of the already densely developed nature of the surrounding area this has not been successful, though both Government Departments are continuing to try and find a way of accommodating Urban Services Department's request. The market stands on a site zoned for open space development which is to be permanently allocated to the Urban Council. There will therefore be no difficulty if the Council raises no objection in renewing the allocation for temporary use as a cooked food market when the current allocation expires in mid 1992.
I would like to apologise to Mr. MA LEE-Wo for not having given him this interim report earlier. But the Department has been steadily following up on the problems raised in his question. I shall remind the Department to present a progress report in 6 months' time or earlier if necessary.
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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MR. MA LEE-Wo (in Cantonese): —Mr. Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank the Chairman of the Markets and street Traders Select Committee, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, for his detailed reply and for his undertaking that he will remind the Department to produce a progress report in 6 months' time. But I have two supplementaries. First, when will the ASD's investigation be completed and when will the findings be made available? Secondly, I would like to know whether the Department will continue to liaise with other departments to identify a permanent site to replace the present one? Thank you.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in regard to the second supplementary, I will remind the Department at the MST meeting which will be held tomorrow morning. And in regard to the first supplementary, I see the DUS is still here and I will ask his cooperation to see if any additional information could be presented under Any Other Business tomorrow morning at the MST Select Committee meeting. Thank you.
7. MR. MA LEE-WO asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Many restaurants operate with their food, stoves, tables and chairs placed on the pavements in Sham Shui Po District, (in such streets as Castle Peak Road, Un Chau Street, Wing Lung Street and Pratas Street). Dish-washing is also done on the pavement. All these lead to problems such as road obstruction, food hygiene, environmental pollution and noise nuisance. Though residents repeatedly lodged complaints, the situation has not yet been improved. Those restaurants regard fines imposed by the Urban Services Department as payment of 'licence fees'. And there is absolutely no deterrent effect. Moreover, some of the restaurants are unlicensed. It seems that the Council can do nothing about the illegal extension of business on pavements by restaurants. I would like to ask:
1.
2.
3.
In this regard, what enforcement actions have been taken in Sham Shui Po District in the past year?
What measures can we take to eradicate the problem of illegal extension of business on pavements by restaurants?
Will the Council consider legislative amendments and prosecution in order to improve the environment and eradicate the nuisance?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question also asks about the restaurant operations and Mr. MA has certainly a very intelligent insight and in-depth understanding of the problem involved by some of the offenders.
The question can be answered in three different parts and concerns aspects of the problems associated with extension of restaurant businesses onto pavements. The first part concerns the enforcement actions in the past year that have been taken against restaurants in Sham Shui Po District guilty of extending their businesses onto the pavements.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
When Architectural Services Department's conclusions are received, a proposal will be made to Markets and Street Traders Select Committee but any solution is likely to be fairly extensive, and involve considerable disruption to the lessees, who have in the past resisted any proposal which has involved inconvenience to themselves. Architectural Services Department have already confirmed it is not feasible to air condition the present market building.
It may be of interest to note that in 1987 the Council was on the verge of approving a project to address this problem by the provision of a mechanical ventilation system comprising air ducts, exhaust fans and hoods. This necessitated closure of the market for at least 2 months and as such, met with strong resistance from stall operators. Thereafter, make-shift ventilation improvement works only could be effected. One possible solution being considered by the Architectural Services Department might be similar to that proposed in 1987 except that the work would be carried out by phases, making use of the vacant market stalls in order to keep the disruption to the market business to the minimum. In this connection the full cooperation of the market lessees in agreeing to making way for the improvement works would be essential.
In respect of the second question two large rectangular refuse bins have been provided by the Department in a vacant stall for the convenient use of the stall operators. These bins are provided with proper covers and maintained in a clean condition. As they are only intended to contain wastes generated from the market stalls in the course of cooked food business and are emptied regularly and frequently by staff of the Department, no sanitary problem has actually arisen. It should be noted that a permanent refuse collection point is located only about 20 metres from the market at Cheung Shun Street. The stall operators can also conveniently make use of this refuse collection point for the disposal of wastes.
Notwithstanding the existence of a permanent refuse collection point in very close proximity to the market, the Department is considering the possibility of locating the large rectangular refuse bins in a location within the cooked food market but isolated from the occupied stalls.
As regards the third question, the Department has approached both the Planning Department and the District Lands Officer to obtain a better site for permanent relocation of the market. However, because of the already densely developed nature of the surrounding area this has not been successful, though both Government Departments are continuing to try and find a way of accommodating Urban Services Department's request. The market stands on a site zoned for open space development which is to be permanently allocated to the Urban Council. There will therefore be no difficulty if the Council raises no objection in renewing the allocation for temporary use as a cooked food market when the current allocation expires in mid 1992.
I would like to apologise to Mr. MA LEE-Wo for not having given him this interim report earlier. But the Department has been steadily following up on the
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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problems raised in his question. I shall remind the Department to present a progress report in 6 months' time or earlier if necessary.
MR. MA LEE-Wo (in Cantonese): —Mr. Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank the Chairman of the Markets and street Traders Select Committee, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, for his detailed reply and for his undertaking that he will remind the Department to produce a progress report in 6 months' time. But I have two supplementaries. First, when will the ASD's investigation be completed and when will the findings be made available? Secondly, I would like to know whether the Department will continue to liaise with other departments to identify a permanent site to replace the present one? Thank you.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in regard to the second supplementary, I will remind the Department at the MST meeting which will be held tomorrow morning. And in regard to the first supplementary, I see the DUS is still here and I will ask his cooperation to see if any additional information could be presented under Any Other Business tomorrow morning at the MST Select Committee meeting. Thank you.
7. MR. MA LEE-WO asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Many restaurants operate with their food, stoves, tables and chairs placed on the pavements in Sham Shui Po District, (in such streets as Castle Peak Road, Un Chau Street, Wing Lung Street and Pratas Street). Dish-washing is also done on the pavement. All these lead to problems such as road obstruction, food hygiene, environmental pollution and noise nuisance. Though residents repeatedly lodged complaints, the situation has not yet been improved. Those restaurants regard fines imposed by the Urban Services Department as payment of licence fees'. And there is absolutely no deterrent effect. Moreover, some of the restaurants are unlicensed. It seems that the Council can do nothing about the illegal extension of business on pavements by restaurants. I would like to ask:
1.
2.
3.
In this regard, what enforcement actions have been taken in Sham Shui Po District in the past year?
What measures can we take to eradicate the problem of illegal extension of business on pavements by restaurants?
Will the Council consider legislative amendments and prosecution in order to improve the environment and eradicate the nuisance?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question also asks about the restaurant operations and Mr. MA has certainly a very intelligent insight and in-depeth understanding of the problem involved by some of the offenders.
The question can be answered in three different parts and concerns aspects of the problems associated with extension of restaurant businesses onto pavements. The first part concerns the enforcement actions in the past year that have been taken against restaurants in Sham Shui Po District guilty of ex- tending their businesses onto the pavements.
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