VILLAGES ALONG PASIR PANJANG ROAD (Refuse collection and clearing of drains)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for the Environment whether improvement can be made to disposal services and the clearing of drains in the villages along Pasir Panjang Road.

The Minister for the Environment (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, there are about 420 semi-permanent and squat- ter premises in nine villages along Pasir Panjang Road. Refuse is collected everyday from these premises except for some 55 premises which are not accessible to our smallest refuse collection vehicles. Collection from these premises is difficult though our workmen have been instructed to proceed on foot for collection.

Residents can help to improve our refuse collection service by using proper plastic bags to contain their refuse. For premises inaccessible to our vehicles, residents should deposit their plastic bags at designated points prior to the arrival of our refuse vehicles. There will be less smell, spillage and nuisance from flies and, at the same time, our workmen can collect faster.

We do have a problem with bulky refuse such as old furniture, renovation debris, old ovens, etc., which are discarded at vacant lands in the villages. These cannot be removed by our daily refuse collection teams. They are too bulky and our vehicles are not designed to remove such items.

We have to organize a task force from time to time to remove these items. Residents who have bulky waste should make use of our bulky waste removal service instead of dumping them indiscriminately.

Mr Speaker, Sir, although we deploy workmen to clear the drains and roads in the villages, the conditions of the drains and roads are at times still bad due to indiscriminate dumping of refuse on them. We will endeavour to maintain the drains and roads satisfactorily. I will appreciate if the Member for Pasir Panjang can assist in persuading the villagers to refrain from their anti-social habit of indiscriminately dumping refuse on drains and roads. He should try to instill in them a sense of pride in keeping their living environment clean and green.

Encik Abbas Abu Amin (Pasir Panjang): A supplementary question, Sir. I appreciate the concern and the help given by the Minister. But the problem faced by these villagers is that a lot of development is being carried out by private developers.

Mr Speaker: I thought you have a supplementary question, Encik Abbas?

Encik Abbas Abu Amin: Sir, the question is whether further assistance could be given to the villagers and also to inform the contractors concerned to remove the debris, especially during the rainy season when a lot of floods occur in the area.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry will certainly give every assistance to the villagers in clearing the debris, especially if they are left over by the contractors. I will appreciate if the Member can also let the Ministry know who are these contractors and we will prosecute them.