The draft Nantou County Mountain Activities Management Autonomous Ordinance was passed in its third reading at the county council today and will be submitted to the central government for approval before being officially implemented. Climbers in Nantou will be required to carry communication devices and purchase mountain climbing insurance.
The draft “Nantou County Mountain Activities Management Autonomous Ordinance” was passed in its third reading during an extraordinary session of the county council today. As it involves penalties, it will be submitted to the central government for approval before being officially enacted. According to the ordinance, those entering specially regulated mountain areas must follow their climbing plans, not alter routes or areas, carry positioning equipment and communication devices for emergency contact, be led by a guide with emergency rescue capabilities, and purchase comprehensive mountain climbing insurance.
Under the autonomous ordinance, if an accident occurs while climbing in a specially regulated mountain area, the county government may charge climbers for search and rescue costs. Legitimate applicants may have these costs covered by their comprehensive mountain climbing insurance, while those who enter the mountains without meeting the regulations must not only face fines for violations but also cover all search and rescue expenses themselves.
Some media outlets have reported on the issue of the Nantou County Senior Citizens’ Respect Festival Allowance. Nantou County Magistrate Lin Ming-tsinn responded in the council, saying that raising the Senior Citizens’ Respect Festival Allowance to NT$1,000 was proposed by all council members. The county government, based on the council’s resolution and considering fiscal capacity, made moderate adjustments and allocated the budget for distribution in accordance with the law. Moreover, many cities and counties use 65 years old as the eligibility benchmark, while Nantou previously used 75. Last year, the county government adopted suggestions and lowered the age to 65 to show respect to the elderly, which is both lawful and reasonable.
Lin Ming-tsinn said that Nantou’s finances have continued to improve, dropping to NT$152 billion as of August. With room in the budget, the county government is showing respect to over 85,000 seniors in the county. This move is part of Nantou’s social welfare policy and can stand public scrutiny. However, he pointed out that some other counties and cities have higher debts than Nantou but offer higher Senior Citizens’ Respect Festival Allowances. Yet these disparities are ignored in the reports. He cannot accept such double standards, adding that Nantou’s seniors are not second-class citizens and should not be judged by double standards. 1050907
(Central News Agency)