Minutes of the 10Th Meeting of District Minor Works and Environmental Improvement Committee
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North District Council (2016-2019) Minutes of the 10th Meeting of District Minor Works and Environmental Improvement Committee Date : 17 July 2017 (Monday) Time : 2:30 p.m. Venue : North District Council Conference Room Present Chairman: Mr TANG Kun-nin, Tony, SBS, MH* Vice-Chairman: Mr WAN Wo-fai, MH* Members: Dr HO Shu-kwong, Raymond* Mr LI Kwok-fung (2:33 p.m. – 3:51 p.m.) Mr YIU Ming* Mr CHAN Yuk-ming (2:53 p.m. – 4:58 p.m.) Mr CHAN Wai-tat* Ir PANG Chun-sing, George, MH* Mr TSANG King-chung, Kent* Mr TSANG Hing-lung* Mr WONG Wang-to, MH* Mr WAN Wo-tat, Warwick (2:58 p.m. – 4:58 p.m.) Mr LIU Hing-hung* Mr LAU Ki-fung* Mr LARM Wai-leung (2:35 p.m. – 3:37 p.m.) Mr SO Sai-chi, SBS, MH* Co-opted Members: Mr HAU Tim-kau* Mr HAU Wing-kong (2:30 p.m. – 4:02 p.m.) Mr HAU Hon-shek (2:30 p.m. – 4:17 p.m.) Mr KO Wai-kei (2:30 p.m. – 4:18 p.m.) Mr TSANG Yuk-on* Mr CHANG King-leung* Mr LAU Yung-sau (2:30 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.) Secretary: Miss CHONG Wai, Joey Executive Officer (District Council) 1, North District Office Remarks: * Members who attended the whole meeting ( ) Time of attendance of Members In Attendance Mr YAU Kin-chung, JP District Officer (North), Home Affairs Department Ms KWONG Ting-lok, Maggie Assistant District Officer (North) 1, Home Affairs Department Mr LEUNG Chi-fai District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (North), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Mr KWOK Sui-cheong Administrative Assistant/Lands, (District Lands Office, North), Lands Department Mr LI Kim-man Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Regional N) 3, Environmental Protection Department Mr CHEUNG Kwok-wai, William Engineer/BCP5 (NTE), Civil Engineering and Development Department Mr YIP Chi-hing Deputy District Leisure Manager (North) 2, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr Otto CHAN Senior Town Planner/FS1, Planning Department Mr YU Wai-cheong Engineer/North 3, Drainage Services Department Mr TANG Kwan-yeung Senior Inspector of Works (1), North District Office Mr NG Ho-wing, Bernard Executive Officer (Development), North District Office Agenda Items 2 to 5 Ms MA Mei-kiu Chief Health Inspector 1, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Agenda Item 9 Mr HO King-hei, Chris Architect (Works) 1, Home Affairs Department Ms HUI Yee-man Associate Director, WCWP International Limited Absent Mr LEE Koon-hung Mr HAU Chi-keung Mr HAU Fuk-tat, Simon Mr CHAN Shung-fai Mr LAU Kwok-fan, MH Mr CHEUNG Yuk-lun Mr PANG Wa-ying Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed Members and representatives of government departments to the 10th meeting of the District Minor Works and Environmental Improvement Committee (“the Committee”). 2. The Chairman said that four Members, namely Mr HAU Chi-keung, Mr CHAN Shung-fai, Mr Simon HAU and Mr LEE Koon-hung had applied for absence from the meeting. Mr HAU Chi-keung had to attend a Heung Yee Kuk New Territories meeting, and Mr CHAN Shung-fai had to attend a Rural Committee meeting and therefore were absent from this meeting. Since their reasons for absence were a valid excuse under the North District Council (“NDC”) Standing Orders, the Committee approved their applications for absence. (Mr LI Kwok-fung joined the meeting at this juncture.) 3. The Chairman went on to say that both Mr Simon HAU and Mr LEE Koon-hung were absent from the meeting because Mr Simon HAU was out of town and Mr LEE Koon-hung had to lead a Border Junior Police Call exchange tour to Singapore. Since their reasons for absence were not in compliance with the regulations set out in the NDC Standing Orders, the Committee did not approve their applications for absence. Item 1 - Confirmation of Minutes of the 9th Meeting held on 15 May 2017 4. The Committee confirmed the minutes of the 9th meeting. Item 2 - Installation of Internet Protocol Cameras at Refuse Deposit Blackspots (Paper No. 41/2017) 5. The Chairman welcomed Ms MA Mei-kiu, Chief Health Inspector 1, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (“FEHD”) to the meeting for the discussion of items 2 to 5. 6. Mr LEUNG Chi-fai presented Paper No. 41/2017. (Mr LARM Wai-leung joined the meeting at this juncture.) 7. Mr LIU Hing-hung supported the installation of Internet Protocol (IP) cameras at those refuse deposit blackspots. He said that refuse was often dumped at certain locations of the district, affecting the cityscape and environmental hygiene. 8. Mr CHAN Wai-tat was pleased to note that the FEHD had launched the installation of IP cameras. He understood that the FEHD had already launched a pilot scheme on installing IP cameras (“Pilot Scheme”) in Yuen Long District. An IP camera had been installed near Fairview Park, where illegal refuse disposal had markedly improved subsequently. He said that illegal dumping was often found at the refuse collection points at Wo Hing Road near Wo Hop Shek Village Public Toilet (No.: N-148) and at Pak Fuk Tsuen (No.: N-42). It was suggested that IP cameras be installed in those two locations to create a deterrent effect. 9. Mr WONG Wang-to welcomed and supported implementation of the scheme by the FEHD. He said that North District covered a wide area and that the monitoring system would facilitate the FEHD to identify the locations where cleansing services needed to be strengthened. He pointed out that lots of pallets and polystyrene foam plastic (commonly known as “polyfoam”) boxes often accumulated at the emergency vehicle access between Tung Koon School (Sheung Shui) and Sheung Shui Garden No. 1, affecting environmental hygiene and blocking emergency vehicle access. As many school children had to pass through that area, he suggested that the FEHD should install an IP camera at the relevant location to prevent illegal dumping. 10. Mr HAU Hon-shek supported the FEHD’s move to implement the scheme. He understood that the FEHD would take appropriate measures according to refuse disposal in the area, such as deploying more grip-mounted lorries to clean up waste and strengthening patrols. Bulky refuse was often dumped near refuse collection points in the rural area, and there was a need to install IP cameras in the relevant locations to monitor illegal dumping. He hoped that the FEHD would pay attention to refuse disposal in rural areas and take enforcement action in due course. 11. Mr WAN Wo-fai said that illegal refuse disposal in rural areas was very serious. People used to dump a large amount of bulky refuse at refuse collection points or vacant government land in Ta Kwu Ling, some of the refuse even obstructed the carriageway. The Lands Department (“LandsD”) had fenced off some of the land, but the situation of littering did not improve. He therefore supported the implementation of the scheme and hoped that the FEHD would install IP cameras at the refuse deposit blackspots in rural areas. 12. Dr Raymond HO asked whether the FEHD had taken prosecution action against offenders under the Pilot Scheme conducted earlier in other districts. He said that some of the refuse deposit blackspots in the district were not close to refuse collection points, for example, the area around Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School was always piled with cartons, affecting environmental hygiene. In addition, bulky refuse was often dumped at the refuse collection point near Yu Tai Road. 13. Ir George PANG supported the FEHD to implement the scheme. He said that there had been frequent dumping of construction and industrial waste at a refuse collection point at Jockey Club Road near Wong Kong Shan, which seriously affected environmental hygiene. He believed that the installation of IP cameras at refuse deposit blackspots could have a deterrent effect, and offenders could be prosecuted based on the video clip. 14. Mr LAU Ki-fung raised the following views, suggestions and questions: (a) If the proposed IP camera was installed in private premises, the residents there might be concerned about their privacy and the FEHD should first consult and consider their views; (b) Illegal dumping were often done at night, he asked whether the camera to be installed could effectively capture a clear image; (c) The following locations were frequently piled with carton boxes, construction waste or bulky refuse: (i) Chi Cheong Road near Lung Fung Garden; (ii) The area around Tung Koon School (Sheung Shui); (iii) Lay-by at Tin Ping Road near Tin Long House, Tin Ping Estate; (iv) Villages along Ma Sik Road (such as Shek Wu San Tsuen and Ma Shi Po Tsuen). (d) Some shops in the district often dumped their refuse in public places, he hoped that the FEHD would extend the scheme to fully tackle illegal refuse disposal. 15. Mr Kent TSANG welcomed the FEHD’s implementation of the scheme. Regarding the problem of illegal refuse disposal at the refuse collection points in the rural areas, he asked whether the FEHD would randomly install IP cameras in the rural villages and rotate the locations on a monthly basis. In addition, he opined that the scheme would not be effective if the FEHD would only conduct a review after one year of its implementation. 16. Mr TSANG Hing-lung supported the FEHD to implement the scheme. He asked whether the FEHD had learned from the experience gained from the Pilot Scheme and refined the installation of IP cameras. He pointed out that the scheme involved privacy issues, and asked how the FEHD would record, and for how long the video clip would be kept.