The Changhua County Government on Monday voiced its opposition to a Cabinet decision to demolish illegal factories built on farmland without proposing complementary measures, such as ensuring the livelihoods of affected factory workers.
Changhua Public Works Department Director Tai Rui-wen (戴瑞文) declared the stance at a news conference in which he reiterated five principles set forth by Changhua County Commissioner Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷) last week on the removal of illegal factories from farmland.
Wei said at a Changhua County Council meeting on Tuesday last week that agriculture and industry are equally important to the people of Changhua, adding that starting from that day, businesses would be strictly banned from building factories on farmland.
However, the county government would not tear down factories that already exist on farmland, as long as they do not pollute the land, rivers and air, evade taxes or pose industrial safety risks, Wei said.
On Monday, the Council of Agriculture (COA) called an interministerial meeting with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to discuss a directive handed down by former premier Lin Chuan (林全) on July 20 that called for all illegal factories built on farmland after May 20 last year, when President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office, to be demolished.
At the meeting, it was decided to remove 17 such factories in the first wave of enforcement, COA Department of Planning Director-General Tsai Sheng-fu (蔡昇甫) said.
Eight of the factories are in Changhua, five in Kaohsiung, two in Chiayi County, one in New Taipei City and one in Tainan, he added.
Since assuming office on Sept. 8, Premier William Lai (賴清德) has not said the policy will be canceled, while COA Minister Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) and COA Deputy Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) have stressed that the law must be upheld, Tsai Sheng-fu said.
The county government news conference was held before the measure was announced, but the media have reported that 14 illegal factories built on farmland in Changhua would be first on the demolition list.
The county government is not opposed to removing illegal factories from farmland, Tai said, but added that “each factory has eight to 10 employees,” whose livelihoods must be taken care of.
The demolition work will generate a huge amount of waste, creating a disposal problem, Tai added.
Without complementary measures, “when an old problem is resolved, a new one will appear,” Tsai Sheng-fu said.
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