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Following is a question by the Hon Alan Leong and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 15):
Question:
Recently, I have received complaints from residents of Ting On Street in Ngau Tau Kok about the hygiene conditions in that district. They alleged that the hygiene conditions of the restaurants in the vicinity of Ting On Street were not satisfactory, and they were worried that cockroach and rodent infestation would affect the residents' daily lives. Regarding the hygiene problems in the community, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the authorities will establish a mechanism to regularly publicise the list of hygiene blackspots and set specific targets for cleaning up hygiene blackspots within specified time; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) given that the hygiene conditions of some hygiene blackspots quickly deteriorate quite easily after being cleaned up, whether the authorities will conduct follow-up surveillance after cleaning up the hygiene blackspots so as to prevent hygiene problems from recurring and affect the residents' daily lives; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(c) focusing on the environment in the vicinity of Ting On Street, what measures the authorities will take to tackle hygiene problems in the community?
Reply:
President,
(a) and (b) One of the important tasks of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is to provide a clean and hygienic environment for the people of Hong Kong. In areas where the environmental hygiene conditions are unsatisfactory, FEHD has been actively enhancing clean-up and enforcement actions having regard to the circumstances.
In light of the exceptional circumstances of the global and local outbreaks of human swine influenza, FEHD, after consulting the District Councils (DCs), commenced large-scale cleansing operations at 105 environmental hygiene blackspots across the territory in May 2009. The operations included increasing the frequency of street cleaning/washing and pest control work, removing stubborn dirt on pavements with high pressure hot water cleaners and stepping up enforcement against contraventions of food premises and persons contravening cleansing legislation. Cases involving damages of pavements, leakage of pipes/ducts, blockage of drainage and unauthorised structures were referred to the relevant departments for follow-up actions. The operations were completed in February 2010. After inspection, the DCs agreed that the hygiene condition of the blackspots had significantly improved.
FEHD will continue to keep in view the hygiene condition of the above 105 locations. Where necessary, the frequency of cleansing and pest control work will be increased and prosecution action will be stepped up to maintain environmental hygiene. As and when required, the District Environmental Hygiene Offices of FEHD will also request the District Management Committees chaired by the District Officers to hold discussions and make arrangements for joint departmental operations.
(c) The vicinity of Ting On Street in Ngau Tau Kok is one of the 105 hygiene blackspots identified and cleaned up last year. After the large-scale cleansing operations launched last year, the environmental hygiene condition in the vicinity of the Street has greatly improved. During the operations, various measures were taken to tackle the environmental hygiene problems of the Street, including additional deployment of Roving Cleansing Teams to clear refuse, removing stubborn dirt on pavements with high pressure hot water cleaners and increasing the frequency of street cleansing from once to twice a week and the frequency of pest control work from once a week to once every four days. Moreover, a total of 41 inspections were conducted at the food premises in the area during the operations and warnings were issued or prosecutions were taken against malpractices. Cases involving damages of pavements, leakage of pipes/ducts, blockage of drainage and unauthorised structures found during the operations were referred to the relevant departments for follow-up actions.
FEHD will continue to keep in view the hygiene condition in the vicinity of Ting On Street. Apart from daily street sweeping, weekly pest control and street washing operations, regular inspections will be made to check the hygiene condition of the food premises in the area and public places nearby to ensure that food business operators and workers comply with the licensing conditions and statutory requirements. At the same time, FEHD will continue to enhance publicity to put across the environmental hygiene message by means of posters, banners and talks, and work closely with the relevant DC and departments to further improve the hygiene condition of the area.
Ends/Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:36
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