At least 175 households were served with legal notices for failing to allow National Environment Agency (NEA) officers into their homes for dengue-related inspection purposes between 2017 and May this year.
NEA gave these figures when responding to letters from two Straits Times readers last week – one published in ST’s Forum page and the other on ST Forum Online. Their letters raised questions about the powers of officers to gain access into homes of residents who did not comply during on-site checks.
One of the writers, Mr William Bremner, had learnt from a phone conversation with an NEA representative that some of his neighbours had refused NEA entry into their properties for inspection.
The 55-year-old retired technology business consultant lives in a semi-detached house in Lorong Pisang Emas. The neighbourhood in Bukit Timah was identified as a dengue cluster previously.
In its response, published in today’s Forum page, NEA explained that in cases where the officers are unable to enter homes – such as when no one is at home – a letter is sent to the owner or occupier to arrange for a date to inspect the unit.
Mr Tony Teo, director of environmental public health operations at NEA, added in the agency’s response: “If NEA officers are still unable to access the premises, a legal notice under the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act will be served to the occupiers, requiring them to open their homes for inspections at a specified time.”
The agency said it inspected 175 premises between 2017 and last month after serving such legal notices.
Of the 55 premises inspected this year after such legal notices had been served, two were found to be breeding mosquitoes.
Mr Bremner’s letter had brought into question the powers which agency officers have to deal with non-compliant households and the extent to which the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act is enforced in such circumstances.
Under Section 35 of the Act, authorised officers may, for related purposes, “enter any premises, vessel or aircraft in order to make any survey, inspection or search or to execute any works authorised by this Act”.
Mr Bremner said he had always cooperated with NEA when officers visited his home to check for potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes and had even been fined once for a related offence during an inspection.
“Dengue is a serious health threat for all people in Singapore and requires a fully cooperative community to reduce its threat,” Mr Bremner wrote.
“Why should we be paying fines when our neighbours will not even allow the NEA to inspect their properties?”
Mr Taim Oon Chew wrote after reading Mr Bremner’s letter: “It is pointless for NEA to boast about its drone camera detection and other high-tech features when officers cannot enter a home to check on suspected mosquito breeding grounds.”
When The Straits Times visited Mr Bremner’s neighbourhood yesterday, more than a dozen residents said their homes had been inspected by the NEA at least three times just this year alone. None had received legal notices from the agency.
Ms Catherine Chua, 62, said her home has been inspected at least five times so far and she has always cooperated with the inspection officers.
This reporter also saw at least six vacant houses in the estate – some of which had overgrown weeds and empty flower pots. Neighbours said the houses had been vacant for months. It is unclear if legal notices had been sent to these houses.
“Source:[175 households served legal notices for not allowing NEA’s dengue checks] © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction”
