Mayor’s Remarks:
1. I would like to reiterate that concerned bureaus should have comprehensive plans in regard to the three large-scale concerts this week and the upcoming Tomb Sweeping Holiday.
2. As we are still facing severe water shortage this week, municipal water usage may be further reduced if fires can be effectively prevented. Collective efforts from all colleagues are needed.
Announcements
1. The Bureau of Civil Affairs’ report on Tomb Sweeping Day citizen-friendly work (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) The long holiday weekend is approaching, and tomb sweeping is an important civil activity. The Bureau of Civil Affairs and relevant bureaus should have thorough plans in advance regarding traffic control and disease prevention during the holiday. The number of incidents and citizen complaints during the long weekend should be complied and compared with previous records. Such information should serve as reference for future policies.
(2) Fires tend to occur during Tomb Sweeping Day. As dry and sunny weather prevails, if joss money is not burned carefully or the ember is not dealt with properly, fires may easily occur. What’s worse, with most tombs located in rural areas, it will be difficult to conduct rescues, and we may see more loss of lives, resources, and capital. The forest fire that broke out on Alishan last week is a stark reminder. We should enhance relevant fire prevention work and further educate the public on safe fire use.
(3) If unfortunately, fires occurs due to tomb sweeping activities, the Fire Department should carry out investigations. If the fire is set intentionally, the responsible person should be held accountable and penalized; if it is purely caused by human error, relevant officials or people should also be held accountable. Concerned bureaus should plan ahead so that citizens can enjoy a safe and joyful holiday.
2. The Environmental Protection Bureau’s report on the Bright Sky Plus project. (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Good air quality is our citizens’ expectation and also a major focus of the government. As indicated by statistics, one-third of Taiwan’s air pollution comes from abroad, one-third from stationary sources, and one-third from moving sources. In terms of Tainan City, although there are no steel mills, oil refinery plants, or large-scale coal-fired power plants, Tainan’s air quality is not significantly better than other cities or counties. Taiwan is rather small and cities are closely connected. It is hardly possible for any single city to just take care of itself without being affected by its neighbors. Citizens need electricity, but at the same time, they require good air quality. We should have a feasible policy in regard to energy and environmental protection. This should not be merely a topic manipulated by a few people for political purposes.
(2) All colleagues of the Environmental Protection Bureau have put in great effort, including manpower and budget, into the improvement of air quality, enforcement of sources of pollution, and implementation of incentives. The maintenance of air quality requires collective efforts from both the public and private sectors. The reduction of “cuttlefish cars” (vehicles belching black exhaust) and the elimination of the burning of joss money or straw all contribute to better air. It takes time and continuous hard work to reach the final goal, so let us work together to make the air cleaner.
(3) There was once an incident of people burning straw and waste in Guiren, Tainan, after which the polluted air traveled to Kaohsiung. With this in mind, we should enhance enforcement on sources of pollution and prevention measures to maintain air quality.