XN000022-1978-11-11 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1978

ACTION AGAINST WATER THIEVES STEPPED UP

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THE PROSECUTION UNIT OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT HAS STEPPED UP ITS WAR AGAINST WATER THIEVES AND RACKETEERS.

THE UNIT WILL INCREASE ITS NUMBER OF DAILY PATROLS, ESPECIALLY IN SQUATTER AREAS, IN A BID TO STOP PEOPLE FROM TAKING WATER FROM THE MAINS ILLEGALLY.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT WARNED THAT ANY PERSON SUMMONSED FOR BREACHING THE WATERWORKS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS COULD BE FINED, ON CONVICTION, A MAXIMUM OF $5,000.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID RECENTLY THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS OF PEOPLE APPROACHING AND SOLICITING SQUATTER RESIDENTS FOR MONEY IN RETURN FOR ILLEGAL WATER CONNECTIONS TO THE IR HUTS.

+PEOPLE SHOULD REALISE THAT THEY RISK HEAVY FINANCIAL LOSS IF THEY ARE CAUGHT AND SUMMONSED FOR VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS, HE EMPHASISED,

AS AN EXAMPLE, HE CITED A TOTAL OF 66 SUMMONSES WERE RECENTLY TAKEN OUT AGAINST A GROUP OF RESIDENTS IN A KOWLOON SQUATTER AREA FOR CARRYING OUT ILLEGAL INSTALLATIONS AND DRAWING WATER WITHOUT A METER. ALL OF THEM WERE CONVICTED AND FINED.

PEOPLE ARE URGED TO CO-OPERATE BY REPORTING TO THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY ARE APPROACHED BY PEOPLE OFFERING TO MAKE ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS FOR THEM.

+THEY CAN REPORT BY DIALLING 3-948261 EXTENSION 297,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, THE PROSECUTION UNIT HAS ISSUED NEARLY 800 SUMMONSES AGAINST PEOPLE FOR VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS.

DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE 750 SUCCESSFUL CONVICTIONS, AND FINES TOTALLED MORE THAN $313,000.

THE OFFENCES INCLUDED MAKING ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS TO WATER MAINS, USING WATER WITHOUT A METER AND WASTING WATER.

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