PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT (Cleansing of completed roads in private housing estates)

Mr L. P. Rodrigo asked the Minister for Health why the Public Health Department is not undertaking the cleansing of completed roads in some private housing estates.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: It is provided under section 66 of the Local Government Integration Ordinance, 1963 -the relevant law relating to public cleansing - that the Health Authority shall cause public streets, including footpaths etc, to be swept and cleansed. Under section 67 (1) of the same Ordinance, it is further provided that it is the responsibility of the owner or occupier of any premises on a private street to keep his portion of the street .and drain abutting his premises clean.

Notwithstanding these provisions in 'the law, the Public Health Division does lake steps to do cleansing of private streets and the removal of refuse in a 'substantial number of private housing estates where the streets are still private streets. As far as departmental resources will permit, in terms of funds and labour, the Public Health Division will provide a cleansing service to private streets in housing estates which are completed and 'fully occupied. This is already being done in many areas; where it is not done, the reason is the non-availability of labour and funds.

In many housing estates, individual houses are occupied gradually while physical construction of the estate is still in progress. More often the occupation of houses in such estates is before the issue of a certificate of fitness by the competent building authority. Because of building operations in progress in other parts of the estate, there is often all the accumulation of refuse, lumber and other material usually present in a developing estate.

The usual practice is to require the developer to provide the maintenance and cleansing service while building operations are in progress. It will not be practical until an estate is occupied and building operations have ceased and the drains, pavements, sidewalks, etc, are properly completed before it is taken over for cleansing.

It has, however, to be emphasised that the streets in such private housing estates and drains should, by and large, remain in a clean and sanitary state, as these often are areas with limited movement of the general public. A high standard of sanitary care by the residents will ensure that both the streets and drains are kept clean and free of refuse and filth. This, however, is not always so and the co-operation of householders is often needed to ensure this.