20 injured in restaurant blast

Twenty people aged between 7 and 92 were injured in an explosion of a restaurant in Ma On Shan during the noon hour on Wednesday. Four were seriously injured.

Witnesses said dozens of people were in the restaurant in Chevalier Garden Commercial Complex, when two blasts were heard in the kitchen. The 11 large glass panes on the restaurant walls shattered. Falling shards injured at least 10 passersby in the street.

Police escorted about 200 people from the scene. The ensuing fire was put out after 45 minutes.

The explosion occurred while repairmen were working on a maintenance project of the air-conditioning system. An investigation is ongoing.

3,600 flats slated for estate

A public rental housing estate with 3,600 flats for about 9,900 residents will be completed in Tung Chung in 2016.

In response to the views of the Islands District Council and the community, the Housing Authority revised its 2009 proposal and reduced the height of the four blocks from 47-49 floors to 41 floors.

The development will also include a carpark, open space, retail facilities covering 3,500 square meters, and various community and welfare facilities. A new road will be constructed to connect different sites in the area to the existing Ying Hei Road and Man Tung Road nearby.

'Overwhelming' support for fund

Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Gregory So said on Wednesday that there have been "overwhelming" responses to the government's HK$1 billion fund for supporting Hong Kong enterprises to develop their brands and upgrade and restructure operations to promote sales on the mainland.

Since the launch in June 2012, under the Enterprise Support Programme - 297 applications received under the first two openings have been processed. Of them, 31 applications were approved with an average funding amount of HK$368,000. Another 71 applications were approved with conditions.

The government is now processing the third batch of applications, including 222 applications submitted by enterprises and 17 applications submitted by organizations.

No favoritism in banner removal

Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man said the government showed no favoritism when removing roadside banners that have been displayed without permission.

Ko said that some officers in the Lands Department can give permission for the display of roadside non-commercial publicity materials, for the purpose of promoting activities that are non-commercial or of interest to the public.

For publicity materials lacking such permission, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will remove them and recover the removal costs from the parties concerned.

In response to a complaint against the banners mounted by two political organizations in Yau Tsim Mong District in recent months, the FEHD's investigations showed they were displayed without permission. Persons in charge at the scene were told to take them down.

China Daily

(HK Edition 01/10/2013 page1)