The government will press ahead with plans for a sludge incinerator in Tuen Mun despite strong opposition from the district council and residents.
About 80 residents holding banners and chanting slogans greeted Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau Tang-wah yesterday outside the Tuen Mun Government Offices, as he attended a district council meeting about the plan.
'No sludge incinerator! Better planning for Tuen Mun!' they shouted as they submitted a letter to the minister voicing their discontent.
Two motions were passed objecting to the project and calling for the government not to seek funds from the Legislative Council until it had committed itself to better planning for the district, which sees itself as a dumping ground for industries no one else wants.
But Mr Yau said later the project was urgent and discussions with the council and residents could go on while the government pressed ahead with seeking funding of HK$4 billion.
District councillor Chan Shu-ying said: 'We expressed objection even when the government told us it planned to do an environmental assessment for the project. We will object to this sludge incinerator project.