​The Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (March 26) launched a one-stop thematic webpage (www.had.gov.hk/pbg) to enable applicants for Burial Certificates (Certificates) to obtain information regarding hillside burials.
The thematic webpage introduces hillside burial arrangements, and provides an application form for the Certificate as well as application procedures and points to note. Applicants for the Certificates can also make use of the interactive map on the webpage to search for the geographical locations of Permitted Burial Grounds (PBGs), and download the site plan of each PBG to identify its boundary and area.
The hillside burial policy is jointly implemented by various government departments, and eligible indigenous villagers of the New Territories and locally based fishermen can be buried after their death in the PBGs jointly managed by the departments. Before proceeding with burials for the eligible deceased in the PBGs, descendants are required to apply for the Certificates from the related New Territories District Offices (NTDOs) and arrange the burials in accordance with the requirements laid down in the Certificates and at the locations specified therein. The Certificate holders must also inscribe the serial numbers of the Certificates in a prominent position on the gravestones/urns/containers of ashes for identification purposes.
To assist applicants for the Certificates in identifying the area and boundaries of the PBGs, relevant departments have implemented a series of measures in recent years. These measures include erection of boundary markers along the boundaries of PBGs with higher usage and adoption of information technology tools (including the MyMapHK mobile application and the GeoInfo Map website) for applicants to identify the burial locations of the deceased within the PBGs.
　
The spokesman emphasised that hillside burials are only applicable to eligible persons, whose descendants must obtain the Certificates issued by the related NTDOs beforehand and ensure that the burials will take place in the locations specified in the Certificates; otherwise, the authorities shall have the right to carry out enforcement actions to remove the gravestones and remains. Before applying for the Certificates, applicants can refer to the thematic webpage (www.had.gov.hk/pbg) to identify the area and boundaries of the PBGs and obtain information on hillside burials.
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