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The Housing Department (HD), in addition to the routine operations, will step up preventive measures against mosquitoes in its public rental housing (PRH) estates located in districts with relatively high Area Ovitrap Index, such as Sheung Shui and Tai Po.
"To safeguard our tenants from the threat of mosquito borne diseases, we have stepped up anti-mosquito measures in PRH since early summer. We have instructed our cleansing contractors to pay more attention to hygiene black spots and eliminate all possible mosquito breeding grounds as far as possible. In view of the rising ovitrap indices, the HD will increase the number of anti-mosquito operations in PRH," a spokesman for the HD said today (August 2).
"Each PRH estate has set up an Anti-mosquito Special Cleaning Squad. The four-member teams inspect gullies, surfaces of roof gutters, floor drains, hill slopes and flower beds within estate areas on a daily basis. Any stagnant water or rubbish found will be cleared immediately," he continued.
"Larvicidal oil is applied to manholes, surface channels, roof gutters, gullies and traps every one or two weeks; overgrown plants and grass are trimmed in every one to two months; blocked drainages and uneven road surfaces that may pocket stagnant water are repaired without delay.
"After consulting individual Estate Management Advisory Committees, we have purchased about 160 mosquito catching apparatus. They are placed in PRH estates located in districts with relatively high Area Ovitrap Index," the spokesman added.
The spokesman called for PRH tenants' cooperation to keep their own flats clean. He also reminded them that five penalty points would be allotted for the household committing the misdeed "causing mosquito breeding by accumulating stagnant water" under the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates.
Meanwhile, measures to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in public housing construction sites have also been tightened.
"We have urged the contractors to keep the sites clear of stagnant water. These include spots such as bamboo scaffoldings, uncovered water tanks, used buckets and containers, lift pits, wasted building materials and uneven road surfaces," said the HD spokesman.
PRH tenants and the public are encouraged to report mosquito breeding black spots by calling the Housing Authority Enquiry Hotline 2712 2712.
Ends/Thursday, August 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:11
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