Minutes of 964 Meeting of the Town Planning Board held on 20.8 ...

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Unauthorised columbarium development in <strong>the</strong> rural NT areas would be enforced by <strong>the</strong>
<strong>Planning</strong> Authority. The Buildings Department and <strong>the</strong> Lands Department could also
undertake enforcement actions against unauthorised columbaria within <strong>the</strong>ir jurisdictions.
23. Three o<strong>the</strong>r Members raised <strong>the</strong> following questions/ suggestions:
(a) it was advisable to request <strong>the</strong> operators to deposit a sum as a kind <strong>of</strong>
retention fund for emergency or unforeseen problems <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> private
columbaria, such as in cases where <strong>the</strong> operators failed to liaise with <strong>the</strong>
descendents concerned on handling <strong>of</strong> interred cremains or <strong>the</strong>
descendents concerned could not be contacted, which might occur after
years <strong>of</strong> operation;
[Miss Annie Tam arrived to join <strong>the</strong> meeting at this point.]
(b) as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> conditions for issuing/renewing a licence was that <strong>the</strong>
applicant should possess <strong>the</strong> title to <strong>the</strong> premises/ site being used as private
columbaria, would <strong>the</strong> operators who rented premises/sites for <strong>the</strong> existing
columbaria need to close <strong>the</strong>ir business? If this was <strong>the</strong> case, <strong>the</strong>
subsequent reduction in <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> niches might result in a fur<strong>the</strong>r
increase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> niches in <strong>the</strong> private columbaria which were
issued with licences;
(c) whe<strong>the</strong>r a religious institution operating a columbarium on government
land under tenancy agreement was eligible for application for licence;
(d) any consideration to improve <strong>the</strong> supporting facilities for <strong>the</strong> existing
public columbaria such as provision <strong>of</strong> sufficient transport facilities during
<strong>the</strong> Ching Ming Festival and Chung Yeung Festival; and
[Mr. K.Y. Leung returned to join <strong>the</strong> meeting at this point.]
(e) what were <strong>the</strong> options for <strong>the</strong> public to handle <strong>the</strong> cremains after <strong>the</strong> return
<strong>of</strong> niches to <strong>the</strong> Government under <strong>the</strong> incentive scheme.