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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) drew 10,742 eligible applicants in a computer ballot held today (November 8) for allocation of new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium (WHSKTRC) and Diamond Hill Columbarium (DHC). Successful applicants will be invited in batches to select niches according to the priority determined by the computer.
An FEHD spokesman said that a total of 110 family niches and 10,072 standard niches in WHSKTRC as well as 560 standard niches in DHC were available for selection in the first phase of the allocation exercise. With the one-month application period ending on October 3, 24,267 eligible applications were received after verification. The department held an open computer ballot today with the whole process filmed.
The ballot results are available for inspection at the FEHD's Hong Kong Cemeteries and Crematoria (C&C) Office and Kowloon C&C Office, and uploaded to the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk) for the public to make instant enquiries on the ballot results. SMSs or emails will also be sent today to notify successful applicants if they have provided their mobile phone numbers or email addresses on their application forms.
Applicants can also make use of the Instant Voice Response System at 2304 8906 and follow the instructions to check the ballot results starting from tomorrow.
The spokesman said that invitation letters would be sent out according to the priority number drawn starting from November 15 to invite successful applicants to complete the niches selection procedure at the designated date and time at the FEHD's Kowloon C&C Office. The whole allocation exercise is expected to complete by mid-May 2013.
"For those unsuccessful applications, they will automatically enter the next phase of allocation for computer balloting if applicants have indicated their agreement on the application forms, and no fresh applications will be required," the spokesman said.
About 43,700 new niches at the newly constructed WHSKTRC and some 1,500 new standard niches at DHC provided by the FEHD are open for allocation in three phases. Out of the eligible applications received during the first phase of allocation, 182 opted for family niches and 24,085 standard niches.
Information on the FEHD's C&C Offices is as follows:
Hong Kong C&C Office
Address: 1J, Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Tel.: 2570 4318
Fax: 2591 1879
Kowloon C&C Office
Address: Upper Ground Floor, 6 Cheong Hang Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon
Tel.: 2365 5321
Fax: 2176 4963
Ends/Thursday, November 8, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:10
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