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(19/04/03) |
(Tenses) |
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Hit teams may enter dirty flats
This right of forced entry applies even if the buildings are in areas not affected by the coronavirus pneumonia outbreak, according to Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Gregory Leung. At a press conference yesterday, during which a territory-wide Cleansing Day was launched, Leung said such clean-up operations would be charged to the owners of the premises involved. He said, in order to curb the further spread of viral pneumonia, the government might invoke the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132) that empowers health officers to break into, and sterilise private premises with poor hygiene conditions. ``Of course, we will first try to persuade these residents to co-operate with us. ``But if they reject our request, the ordinance empowers us to forcibly clean these residences.'' Leung said such action could also be taken at homes clear of viral pneumonia cases. ``The ordinance clearly states that if the condition of a private premises is such that it becomes a threat to public hygiene, for instance, if there is a bad odour, we can force entry into such premises for cleansing work,'' he said. ``What's more, the law also empowers us to claim back the cost of such cleansing work from the flatowners.'' Describing the two-day cleansing campaign as the largest programme of its kind since the 1970s, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Shelley Lee said 10,000 voluntary workers, 200,000 restaurants and 270,000 families had offered to tidy up public places and their homes. She said some funds for the campaign would come from donations and the remainder from money allocated to the event by district councils and government departments. Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho said attention would be focused on health blackspots. Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Anissa Wong said her department had proposed reopening all public swimming pools on Tuesday.
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