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The Fire Services Department also conducts regular
visits to squatter areas to publicise fire prevention methods.
In 1986, a total of 1213 visits were made to squatter areas
throughout the territory. The Department also conducted 7 large scale operational exercises in selected squatter areas to familiarise its staff with fire-fighting in squatter settlements. District fire prevention campaigns are also conducted regularly
in every
district.
On the
The problem of illegal tapping of electricity is
being tackled on two fronts. On the enforcement front, the
Police, in conjunction with the Power Company, the City and New Territories Administration and the Housing Department have
stepped up action against this illegal activity. education front, these departments and the District Boards concerned have intensified their efforts to educate residents
about the dangers of tapping electricity illegally and advise
them to apply for a legal connection.
As a result of these
In
efforts, this problem is now gradually being controlled. 1986, a total of 278 persons involved in illegal tapping of electricity had been arrested. This compares favourably with the 573 persons prosecuted for the same offence in 1985.
The Housing Department's five year squatter area improvement programme, started in 1983, has provided a considerable number of fire prevention facilities such as
fire breaks, fire hydrants in the major urban squatter
/settlements