Planners to probe villagers' felling of mangrove

Planning authorities are investigating whether the tearing down of a mangrove at a north Lantau bay on Sunday was a breach of town planning rules.

Rare flora and fauna are protected under a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) designation covering Tai Ho Wan and surrounding land and streams.

The Planning Department said yesterday it would investigate whether felling of the mangrove by villagers protesting over restrictions on the use of their land had breached the rules.

"If it is proved to be unauthorised … we will take appropriate enforcement action," a department spokesman said, as villagers threatened more action if officials refused to meet them. Town Planning Board member Eddie Hui Chi-man said it was highly likely the villagers' actions had breached the rules.

"Any change [of terrain] is likely to violate the original objective of the statutory plan," he told Cable TV.

Tai Ho Wan and its three streams were designated but not zoned as a site of special scientific interest in 1999. Under interim zoning plans for the area gazetted in March, an SSSI covering 4.5 hectares was demarcated. No land, ponds or streams in the SSSI can be filled or diverted.

In protest, dozens of villagers brought in excavators and used machetes to chop down the trees at the mouth of the bay. Some reports said hundreds of trees and large shrubs were cleared.