Author Archives: hksar gov

     A pig farm at Tai Kong Po Tsuen in Kam Tin, Yuen Long, discharged untreated livestock waste into a nearby watercourse. The person-in-charge of the pig farm was fined $8,000 by Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (October 2) for contravening the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulations. The owner of the farm had been convicted four times in the past for discharging livestock waste into a nearby watercourse.
           
     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) received several complaints from members of the public in March about suspected illegal discharge from a pig farm in Tai Kong Po Tsuen. EPD staff conducted an inspection and found that a large amount of greyish-black wastewater with the odour of pig waste was being discharged from the drainage outlet of a pig farm in Tai Kong Po Tsuen to a watercourse outside the pig farm. The untreated livestock waste seriously polluted the Kam Tin River downstream. The analysis result of the wastewater samples taken by the EPD showed that the concentration of test parameters exceeded the discharge standard. In the sample taken at the above drainage pipe, the Five-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Suspended Solids exceeded the standards by 26 and 14 times respectively. After gathering sufficient evidence, the EPD subsequently initiated prosecution against the person-in-charge of the pig farm in accordance with the Regulations and notified the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the case concerned.
           
     An EPD spokesman said that untreated livestock waste contains high concentrations of excreta and will lead to serious pollution and odour problems if discharged into rivers. According to the Regulations, liquid livestock waste generated by livestock farms must be treated properly in a wastewater treatment facility to meet the statutory requirements before being discharged. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and a daily fine of $5,000 for a continuing offence.
           
     The spokesman reminded owners and staff members of livestock farms in the New Territories to properly operate treatment facilities for wastewater generated from livestock waste and not to discharge untreated livestock waste into nearby watercourses. The department will continue to conduct surprise inspections to combat any irregularities at livestock farms.
           
     More information about the livestock waste control scheme is available on the EPD’s website: www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/laws_regulations/enforcement/lwis.html.

  

     Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (October 3). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure

     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp outside Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Vehicles from eastbound Queen’s Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen’s Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen’s Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen’s Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:
     
– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen’s Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen’s Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic on southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition
     
     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces
     
     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:      Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Bills Tender Results： Tender date : October 2, 2018 Paper on offer : EF … read more

     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident occurred in Kowloon Bay this morning (October 2), in which a man died.      The LD has immediately deployed staff to the scene u… read more

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (October 2):
 
Reporter: The MTR Chairman Frederick Ma said that he expected there will be about 60 000 people using the Express Rail Link on the first day of the Golden Week, but this figure still falls short of the 80 000 target set by the Government. Are you worried that in the future, the Government may have to pay for the extra cost for failing to hit the passenger target? And also secondly, the NPC delegate Tam Yiu-chung says political groups should avoid using words such as “self-determination” because it may imply ideas of independence. What’s your take on this issue and will the Government ban political groups using the term for their political platform?
 
Chief Executive: As far as comments made by other people, I don’t want to comment on their comments. So you have to ask Mr Tam exactly what he meant.
 
     As far as the high-speed train, let me first make it clear that the 80 000 passengers per day is not a target. It’s a best estimate at the time based on various factors, like the train frequency, the assessment of people’s travelling arrangements and so on. If you ask me, I would like this high-speed train to be able to serve more than 80 000 passenger trips every day.
 
     The second point I want to make is, it is a new piece of cross-boundary infrastructure and people have to get used to the convenience of this new piece of cross-boundary infrastructure.  Having said that, I think yesterday, according to our Immigration Department’s figures, they have recorded a total of 78 000 passenger trips through this new cross-boundary point.
      
     The third point is when we talk about patronage of any facility, the important thing is to look at the prospects. I feel this high-speed train, this West Kowloon terminus, has huge prospects to attract more people to use it because we have yet to open this wonderful cultural facility called the West Kowloon Cultural District. With its various museums and cultural venues, it is bound to be more attractive in the future. So, let’s look forward to a more attractive and more appealing high-speed train that will attract more passengers. I am not worried about the financial situation because in the arrangement that we have signed with the MTR Corporation– not “we” as the Government but the KCR, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, has signed with the MTR Corporation, we have put in pretty conservative estimates about the passenger trips, so it is unlikely that we will need to subsidise the operation of this high-speed train. But of course, it is for the operator, that is the MTR Corporation, to do all the necessary promotions to increase the patronage on the high-speed train.
      
 (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)   
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