XN000022-1984-09-30 — Page 10

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1984

GREAT STRIDES HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE IN THE ELIMINATION OF RODENTS IN THE TERRITORY. THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE UNIT'S RODENT CONTROL STAFF, ABOUT 300 RODENTS ARE POISONED OR TRAPPED EACH WORKING DAY COMPARED WITH 1 000 CAUGHT DAILY 20 YEARS AGO.

+THE DECREASE IS ONLY A REFLECTION OF THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN, MR CHAU SAID. THE FEWER RATS LEFT, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS TO CATCH THEM.+

+

DRAWING FROM HIS 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD, MR CHAU ESTIMATED THAT MOST OF THE RATS IN HONG KONG ARE KILLED BEFORE THEY CAN LIVE OUT THEIR NORMAL LIFE SPAN THROUGH THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE COMMERCIAL PEST CONTROL COMPANIES AND THE PUBLIC.

REGULAR INSPECTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT IN RESTAURANTS, REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS, PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, WAREHOUSES AND ANY PUBLIC PLACES WHICH ARE LIKELY RODENT HAR BOURAGES.

WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS, OVER 6 600 RODENTS WERE POISONED THEY ALSO OR TRAPPED BY USD RODENT CONTROL STAFF LAST MONTH. COMPLETED 66 BLOCK DISINFESTATIONS, 52 HOLE-BAITING TREATMENTS AND RESPONDED TO 279 COMPLAINTS.

RODENT INFESTATIONS REPORTED OR DISCOVERED WERE TREATED WITH ANTI-COAGULANT RODENTICIDES. TRAPPING WAS USED ONLY IN DEALING WITH MINOR INFESTATIONS IN BUILDINGS.

DESPITE THE APPEARANCE IN RECENT YEAR OF HIGH-PRICED, SOPHISTICATED RODENT ELIMINATION GADGETS, MR CHAU SAID EFFECTIVE RODENT CONTROL IS STILL VERY MUCH A LABOUR INTENSIVE ACTIVITY AND THERE IS NOT LIKELY TO BE ANY OTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVE OR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MOST OF THE SERVICES RELATED TO THE SUPPRESSION AND CONTROL OF PESTS BY THE UNIT ARE PROVIDED FREE TO THE COMMUNITY. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY CALL AT THE NEAREST URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT DISTRICT OFFICE FOR ASSISTANCE.

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