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Housing Department warns tenants against wax burning
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    The Housing Department has urged public rental housing (PRH) tenants to watch their children and keep them away from burning wax, which could lead to points being allotted on the household.

     The warning comes with the approach of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

     "Wax burning is a dangerous act which may cause a fire or severe burns. Five points will be allotted immediately under the hygiene-related Marking Scheme for wax burning in public areas of a PRH estate. There will also be a $1,500 fine for littering in addition to the five penalty points," a department spokesman said.

     He stressed that children under 14 who were caught burning wax would not be exempt.

     "If the minors refuse to stop the act despite verbal warnings from our patrol staff, we will go to their parents. The households will be subject to penalty points allotment," the spokesman said, adding that a tenancy would be terminated when 16 points or more had been recorded within two years.

     The department will step up patrols in PRH estates to crack down on wax burning and littering. A fixed penalty notice of $1,500 or a summons will also be issued to offenders on the spot.

     In addition to routine patrols by estate management staff, the department will deploy Regional Patrol Teams to PRH estates between Thursday and Saturday (October 5-7).

     Starting from Thursday (October 5), these teams comprising plainclothes department staff and security guards will patrol PRH estates within and outside office hours. A total of 70 department staff and another 200 security guards will be deployed for this special task.

     To ensure cleanliness of the public areas in PRH estates, about 750 cleaning contractors will be deployed to clean up these areas early the next morning after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

     The spokesman added that public education would also be promoted through distribution of estate newsletters, display of posters at lift lobbies, video segment and rolling text on the Housing Channel.

Ends/Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:10

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