RESETTLEMENT OF PIG FARMERS FROM KRANJI TO PUNGGOL (Steps to expedite)

Mr Ivan Baptist asked the Minister for National Development and Communications what steps are being taken to expedite the resettlement of pig farmers from Kranji to Punggol so that the water in Kranji reservoir can be fit for human consumption without incurring too much expenditure for purification.

Dr Tan Eng Liang (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, there were 2,926 farms within the Kranji Catchment area keeping a total of 217,000 pigs. 640 of these farms rear more than 100 pigs each, giving a total number of 178,045 pigs or 82% of the total pig population in Kranji. Farms with more than 100 pigs each were given the option to be resettled in Punggol while the smaller farms were required to phase out pig-rearing and to convert into other non-pollutive forms of farming.

Since July, 1975, 114 of the larger farms have been resettled in Punggol. A recent count showed that the pig population in Kranji has been reduced by almost 50% to 111,000. Another 15 farms will be resettled in Punggol during the next few months while the remaining farms have been given six months' grace period from April 1977 to dispose of all their pigs in their farms and cease pig-rearing altogether.