Vegetable chain stall operated by Ka Wo Farming Limited at Shui Wo Street in Kwun Tong caused noise nuisance to nearby residents by persistently playing promotional recordings. It was fined $6,000 by Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (October 18) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).
An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that repeated complaints were received from members of the public since last November about the noise nuisance caused by a vegetable stall in the vicinity of Shui Wo Street in Kwun Tong. The stall used loudspeakers to play promotional recordings persistently at the front door and adversely affected nearby residents. The EPD conducted several enforcement operations and during the operation in April, the stall ignored the warning given by the EPD and continued to play promotional recordings loudly. Upon on-site assessment by EPD staff at residential premises nearby, it was confirmed that the noise generated annoyance and the department subsequently prosecuted the operating company of the vegetable stall, Ka Wo Farming Limited, in accordance with the NCO.
The vegetable chain stalls operated by Ka Wo Farming Limited at Yuen Long New Street and San Tsuen Street in Tsuen Wan have three conviction records for the same offence and were fined a total of $15,000 in March and April this year. The EPD is concerned about the repeated contraventions by some chain stores in generating excessive noise repeatedly and persistently. The EPD will closely monitor the noise levels of relevant stalls and conduct stringent enforcement actions to combat the illegal and unethical behaviour. For individual stalls with repeated contraventions, the company director will also be convicted and criminally liable for the offence.
The spokesman reminded retail shops and their responsible persons that when they play promotional recordings to sell goods, they should contain the noise level within their shop area as far as possible and should not cause annoyance to nearby residents. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence, and offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000.
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