Govt introduces amendment bill to address environmental hygiene problems

The HKSAR government has on Friday gazetted the Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Bill 2024 to enhance enforcement efficiency and deterrent effect to effectively achieve sustainable improvements in environmental hygiene.

The government proposed in the bill measures include extending the period allowed for officials to enter premises for investigations.

According to a government spokesman, the source of the nuisance to the neighborhood must first be ascertained in situations such as water seepage in buildings and water dripping from air-conditioners.

To enable investigation officers to enter premises suspected of being the source of the nuisance as soon as possible, the amendment bill recommends making it an offence for failing to comply with a notice of intended entry without reasonable excuse, and extending the period allowed for entering premises for investigations from the current period between 7 am and 7 pm to between 7 am and 10 pm, accommodating contemporary lifestyle and work schedules of citizens.

Meanwhile, for vermin problems occurring in common parts of buildings, the amendment bill recommends, with reference to relevant measures to prevent mosquito breeding, that a notice be served to the persons responsible for the management of the building to tackle vermin problems in common parts of buildings as soon as possible.

The amendment bill also includes adjustments to the maximum penalties which the court may impose for offences related to vermin infestations, occupation of public places by miscellaneous articles causing obstruction to scavenging operation and illegal display or affixation of bills or posters to ensure sufficient deterrent effect.

The amendment bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for its first reading and second reading on December 4.