783,946 lbs. of wood and 90,475 lbs. of tin sheeting were confiscated. These figures are very much higher than the previous year's, when 9,848 structures were demolished, resulting in the confiscation of 191,539 lbs. of wood and 38,105 lbs. of tin sheeting. They reflect the increase of squat- ting during the year, and the consequent strengthening of the division during the latter part of the period under review. This strengthening was the outcome of a special report on the capacity of the division to contain the growth of new squatting, and resulted in its being augmented by one Administrative Officer, 5 Area Officers and some 200 minor staff, as well as better transport facilities.
15. Not all the division's work is 'repressive'. A useful palliative within the sphere of squatter control is 'resiting'. Certain temporary resite areas have been allocated to the Resettlement Department until they are needed for permanent development, and herc eligible persons are given sites measuring 16 square feet per adult on which they can build their own huts. The division offered resites to 29,375 persons during the year. These comprised 3,983 victims of disasters, 6,085 rooftop squatters from demolished tenements, 6,433 tenants evicted from con- demned buildings, 1,086 persons cleared to form firelanes in squatter areas, 210 compassionate cases, 125 street sleepers, 4,306 persons remain- ing on the site after resettlement operations who appeared to have nowhere to live, and 7,143 squatters of other categories. Officers of the division supervise construction work and the provision of minimum essential services such as latrines and a water supply, and also liaise with voluntary social welfare agencies.
16. The remaining list of duties performed by the Squatter Control Division is a varied one. There is a great deal of casework and investiga- tion, and Area Officers are often asked to settle disputes and complaints among squatters. They are required to stop interlopers from taking up residence in huts which have been screened for resettlement, and they play a part in the procedure of clearing an area during a resettlement operation. They assist in the registration of victims of natural disasters, arrange temporary shelter in transit camps and then arrange for resiting. They also perform a similar function in respect of persons evicted from dangerous tenements.
CHAPTER IV
SQUATTER CLEARANCE
17. The Operations Division is responsible for planning and carrying out the squatter clearance programme.
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