66
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS
(1) THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):-
(a) What is the estimated number of rats in the areas for which the Urban Council is responsible and is this number increasing; if so, what can be done to significantly reduce the number?
(b) What specific measures can be taken to reduce the level of rat infestation in places such as restaurants and restaurant kitchens, and cinemas where patrons indiscriminately throw litter on the cinema floors?
MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
With your permission and that of the questioners, I propose to answer questions (1), (3) and (4) raised by the Hon. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, Dr. P. C. WONG and Mr. John MACKENZIE together as they are all related to rats, but not necessarily in that order. Mr. Chairman, may I please have your permission to do so?
CHAIRMAN (in English): Yes, please.
MRS. HO (in English):- Recent reports on the rat problem at Kwai Shing Wai, which incidentally is outside the jurisdiction of this Council, has no doubt prompted these questions.
The 1973 Drummond Report recommended the setting up of a special field investigation team for practical investigations into various aspects of rodent control and plague prevention. In 1974 an Assistant Pest Control Officer was sent for attachment training at Mr. DRUMMOND Laboratory and on her return she was put in charge of the special field investigation team which was set up as recommended by the Report. In addition, pest control units are attached to each urban district to deal with routine pest prevention and control work as well as complaints.
House cleansing operations were introduced in Hong Kong in the 19th Century as a means of preventing plague which was then prevalent in the Far East. The operations were aimed specifically at substandard wooden tenement buildings where overcrowding, poor living standards and lack of sanitary facilities encouraged the breeding of rats.
During the operations, tenants had to clean their premises thoroughly with a kerosene emulsion solution provided by the then Sanitary Department. Tenants were also required to move all furniture away from walls so that any rat holes and rat runs which might be present in the walls and floors could be detected. Sanitary Inspectors used to inspect the premises around noon to ensure that cleansing had been effectively carried out.
Many shops were closed during the operations and people's normal lives seriously disrupted by this method of rat prevention.
As a result of the rapid development of urban areas since the last war, most pre-war tenements which were generally 4 storeys in height have been replaced by modern high-rise concrete buildings where structures of 15 storeys or higher are not unusual. These buildings are required to have adequate sanitary facilities. Cleansing operations of the type mentioned by Dr. WONG were discontinued. However, USD staff carry out periodic disinfesting operations on multi-storey buildings. Plague has been absent from Hong Kong for the past four decades.
There is no reliable way in which the number of rats in the areas for which the Urban Council is responsible can be calculated. However, taking into account the number of complaints received from the public over the last four financial years, the number of rodents collected by USD staff and the number of rodents collected in the course of disinfesting operations carried out in multi-storey blocks, it does not appear that there has been any significant increase in the rat population since 1973.
The presence and extent of rat infestation depends almost entirely on two factors: the availability of food and harbourage. The best way to reduce the level of rat infestation in any area is, in consequence, to ensure that food is not left where rats can get at it and, at the same time by structural improvements to get rid of the places where rats can live. It is essential that the public should play their part. At least last year's Clean Buildings Campaign, a television feature on how to keep premises clean and protect food from rats was made. This film has been rescreened during the past week to remind the public of protective measures to be taken.
It is the duty of the occupant of any premises to provide a properly covered dust-bin for the storage of refuse and to remove this refuse from his premises at least once every 24 hours. For the convenience of householders, the Urban Council has set up around 480 large and small refuse collection points.
In some low-density areas, refuse is collected from dust-bins placed at kerb-sides. In multi-storey buildings where adequate access for refuse...
Page 51 of 174
67
66
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS
(1) THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following ques- tion (in English):-
(a) What is the estimated number of rats in the areas for which the Urban Council is responsible and is this number increasing; if so, what can be done to significantly reduce the number?
(b) What specific measures can be taken to reduce the level of rat infestation in places such as restaurants and res- taurant kitchens, and cinemas where patrons indis- criminately throw litter on the cinema floors?
MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
With your permission and that of the questioners, I propose to answer questions (1), (3) and (4) raised by the Hon. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, Dr. P. C. WONG and Mr. John MACKENZIE together as they are all related to rats, but not necessarily in that order. Mr. Chairman, may I please have your permission to do so?
CHAIRMAN (in English): Yes, please.
MRS. HO (in English):-Recent reports on the rat problem at Kwai Shing Wai, which incidentally is outside the jurisdiction of this Council, has no doubt prompted these questions.
The 1973 Drummond Report recommended the setting up of a special field investigation team for practical investigations into various aspects of rodent control and plague prevention. In 1974 an Assistant Pest Control Officer was sent for attachment training at Mr. DRUMMOND Laboratory and on her return she was put in charge of the special field investigation team which was set up as recommended by the Report. In addition, pest control units are attached to each urban district to deal with routine pest prevention and control work as well as complaints.
House cleansing operations were introduced in Hong Kong in the 19th Century as a means of preventing plague which was then prevalent in the Far East. The operations were aimed specifically at substandard wooden tenement buildings where overcrowding, poor living standards and lack of sanitary facilities encouraged the breeding of rats.
During the operations, tenants had to clean their premises thoroughly with a kerosene emulsion solution provided by the then
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 51 of 174
67
Sanitary Department. Tenants were also required to move all furniture away from walls so that any rat holes and rat runs which might be present in the walls and floors could be detected. Sanitary Inspectors
used to inspect the premises around noon to ensure that cleansing had been effectively carried out.
Many shops were closed during the operations and people's normal lives seriously disrupted by this method of rat prevention.
As a result of the rapid development of urban areas since the last war, most pre-war tenements which were generally 4 storeys in height have been replaced by modern high rise concrete buildings where structures of 15 storeys or higher are not unusual. These buildings are required to have adequate sanitary facilities. Cleansing operations of the type mentioned by Dr. WONG were discontinued. However, USD staff carry out periodic disinfesting operations on multi-storey buildings. Plague has been absent from Hong Kong for the past four decades.
There is no reliable way in which the number of rats in the areas for which the Urban Council is responsible can be calculated. However, taking into account the number of complaints received from the public over the last four financial years, the number of rodents collected by USD staff and the number of rodents collected in the course of dis- infesting operations carried out in multi-storey blocks, it does not appear that there has been any significant increase in the rat population since 1973.
The presence and extent of rat infestation depends almost entirely on two factors: the availability of food and harbourage. The best way to reduce the level of rat infestation in any area is, in consequence, to ensure that food is not left where rats can get at it and, at the same time by structural improvements to get rid of the places where rats can live. It is essential that the public should play their part. At least year's Clean Buildings Campaign, a television feature on how to keep premises clean and protect food from rats was made. This film has been rescreened during the past week to remind the public of protective measures to be taken.
It is the duty of the occupant of any premises to provide a properly covered dust-bin for the storage of refuse and to remove this refuse from his premises at least once every 24 hours. For the convenience of householders, the Urban Council has set up around 480 large and small refuse collection points.
In some low density areas, refuse is collected from dust-bins placed at kerb-sides. In multi-storey buildings where adequate access for refuse
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