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The Government had identified another site located in Man Kam To Road, which is away from major residential areas, to set up a poultry slaughtering and processing plant to minimise contact between humans and live poultry so as to reduce the risk of human infection of avian influenza, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (October 13).
The search for another site was proposed after considering the views expressed by the North District Council and the Heung Yee Kuk earlier this year.
The spokesman said compared to the original site next to the Shek Wu Hui Waste Water Treatment Plant, the proposed new site had an edge on several fronts:
* Distant from major residential areas. Sheung Shui Wa Shan, Sheung Shui Heung, Ho Sheung Heung and Tsung Pak Long are more than 900 metres away;
* Lorries that deliver Mainland live poultry need not drive past the relatively densely populated Sheung Shui area before reaching the plant;
*The site is larger than the original one by around 5 000 square metres. Additional space can be provided for lorries waiting to unload live poultry and reduce the chance of lorries clogging up Man Kam To Road; and
* A solid wall is proposed to be built encompassing the entire plant to reduce noise and other nuisances during the operation of the plant.
Though some district councillors raised opposition and concerns over the proposed new site during the North District Council meeting yesterday (October 12), the Government had undertaken to adopt a series of concrete measures to reduce the potential environmental and traffic impact brought about by the proposed plant. These measures had effectively addressed the major demands of the district council, the spokesman added.
"The Government understands that councillors need to look at the issue from a local standpoint; however, having regard to the public health and overall interest of Hong Kong, it is essential to set up the poultry slaughtering and processing plant as soon as possible, to put together slaughtering activities and to reduce the risk of human infection of avian influenza so as to attain the policy objective of separating human from poultry.
"The Government cannot identify suitable site other than in North District. As such, the Government has started the development of the poultry slaughtering and processing plant as scheduled. It is expected that the plant can come into operation in 2009/2010 the earliest," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, October 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 20:08
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