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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will start the allocation of the remaining 5 069 new niches located in Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V soon. Applicants can submit their applications in person or online from next Monday (October 5).
About 43 700 new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V were open for allocation in three phases since September 2012. The third-phase allocation was completed at the end of August this year. As some applicants did not turn up for niche selection, 5 069 new standard niches (including 1 184 outdoor and 3 885 incense-free niches) remained unallocated after three phases of allocation.
"All the remaining niches will be open for allocation. Applications will be accepted between 9am on October 5 and 5pm on November 5," an FEHD spokesman said today (September 29).
"All applicants who applied in 2012 to 2014 in the first to third phases for new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V and Diamond Hill Columbarium must apply afresh," the spokesman said.
To encourage people to adopt environmentally friendly ways, like offering flowers, to pay tribute to the deceased, new niches are furnished with flower receptacles. In addition, furnaces for burning joss paper are installed outside the building of Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V to maintain good air quality at each floor.
The fees for a standard niche and placing a memorial plaque are $2,800 and $90 respectively. The fee for subsequent placing of ashes of each additional deceased person will be $140.
The spokesman said that an open computer ballot will be held on December 17 (Thursday) to determine the selection priority of eligible applicants. A letter will be sent to the applicants according to their priority numbers. They will be invited to go to the FEHD's Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria (C&C) Office at designated dates and times for selecting niches.
The ballot results will be posted at the FEHD's Hong Kong C&C Office and Kowloon C&C Office and uploaded to the department's website. In addition, applicants will be notified of the results by SMS, email or post. Applicants may call 2304 8906 to enquire about the ballot results.
Application forms can be obtained in person from the FEHD's Hong Kong C&C Office or Kowloon C&C Office, by fax or by downloading from its website (www.fehd.gov.hk).
An applicant must submit a duly completed application form together with the originals or copies of the necessary documents (depending on the type of documents required) within the application period.
The spokesman said that applications can be submitted by putting them into the drop-in box in the FEHD's Hong Kong C&C Office or Kowloon C&C Office during office hours, by fax, by email or by post. In addition, those who are holding a "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" or "Certificate of Cremation" of the deceased can also fill in the e-form for online submission (website: www.fehd.gov.hk). Late applications will not be accepted.
Information of 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
Enquiries:
Enquiry hotline: 2304 8906
Enquiry email: enquiry_newniche@fehd.gov.hk
Website: www.fehd.gov.hk
Ends/Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:32
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