Debated in Parliament on 15 Oct 2024.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) to date, how many cases of high-rise littering in Fernvale constituency of Ang Mo Kio GRC have been resolved under the revised framework where presumption of guilt is placed on flat owners or tenants of the HDB flat since its implementation from 1 July 2023; (b) how many waivers based on medical or other compassionate grounds have been granted for such cases; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider acquiring and deploying more surveillance cameras in Fernvale constituency.
The statutory presumption provision for littering from residential flats came into force on 1 July 2023. From 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2024, over 30 acts of high-rise littering from 14 residential flats were recorded by surveillance cameras deployed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) in Fernvale constituency.
Enforcement action has been taken against five offenders while the remaining cases are currently under investigation. Of the five offenders, one individual has been charged under the statutory presumption provision as the individual was unable to provide relevant information to rebut the presumption. However, NEA reduced the charges on compassionate grounds upon appeal by the individual. The remaining four offenders were charged based on their admission to committing the high-rise littering offence.
From January to September 2024, NEA has conducted more than 1,500 camera deployments island-wide. NEA will continue to work with Town Councils to reach out to residents and raise awareness on the environmental and social consequences of high-rise littering. As it will not be sustainable to increase camera deployments indefinitely, NEA will continue to prioritise the deployment of surveillance cameras at blocks with persistent feedback on high-rise littering. Members of the public may also submit video evidence of high-rise littering acts to NEA for investigation.
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