New Fears for Ho Chung Village
Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA) blocked
The blocking of emergency services' ability to gain entry into many parts of Ho Chung New Village has roused new and heightened serious concern.
Major recent work begun on the local river area has sparked off an alarming permanent, and a rash of ad hoc, fencing that blocks Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA) routes. These EVAs have long been agreed and accepted by the Lands Department, Fire and Ambulance Service, and Local and Village Representatives.
Residents registered their worries personally with the local fire authority who, with information supplied by the Sai Kung Lands Department, determined that their calmly expressed concerns were well founded.
A series of photographs and videos, shot by the worried residents, were given to the authorities. They illustrated that parts of the agreed EVAs were totally blocked by soundly built walls and commendably designed wrought-iron, two-metre high "permanent" railings with padlocked gates. Each side was flanked by parked cars and heavy vehicles without any owner identification. Immediately after the Fire Dept checked the situation, the parked cars with unknown owners disappeared. Sadly, shortly afterwards the practice began again.
One gateway affording an emergency escape route is secured by an electric swipe-card mechanism. Without the exact – and exclusive – card the electronic gate cannot be opened. Some of the fencing appears to have been done for, or on behalf of, claimants who do not live in the village, nor even in Hong Kong.
With access blocked, residents and children suffering a life-threatening injury, serious illness, or desperately fighting a house/flat fire would be unable to get vital aid or help.
This situation is not unique to Ho Chung – exactly the same story is told in every corner of the New Territories.
The greatest difficulty in trying to deal with this problem is that enquiries are very often given completely different answers to the same question. All authorities, however, claim they have no power in indigenous village areas because it’s designated private land. While most village residents would not argue with claimants being properly compensated or the rights of indigenous villages being respected, there is an urgent need to solve this dangerous situation before a tragedy occurs.