ENG-2004 — Page 240

198 Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

Pest Control

Prevention of vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases is an important public health function carried out by the FEHD. The department constantly reviews the methodology used and strategy adopted in pest control to enhance effectiveness and efficacy. Anti-rodent and anti-mosquito campaigns were mounted throughout Hong Kong during the year.

While continuing its surveillance on dengue fever vector in the community, the department expanded the programme to cover all the major port areas. Throughout the year, 22 859 and 170 937 inspections were made to construction sites and village-type houses respectively by anti-mosquito squads, and 55 037 mosquito breeding grounds were eliminated. The anti-mosquito efforts will continue in order to reduce the risk of dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis.

Cemeteries and Crematoria

As land is a limited resource in Hong Kong, it is the Government's policy to encourage cremation of the dead. Normally, human remains buried in public cemeteries have to be exhumed after six years and be either cremated or reinterred in an urn cemetery.

The FEHD operates six government crematoria and 11 public cemeteries, and oversees the management of 28 private cemeteries.

Food and Other Trade Licensing

The FEHD is the authority responsible for licensing food businesses and issuing permits for the sale of restricted foods including frozen confections, sushi and sashimi. It also issues licences to places of public entertainment such as theatres, cinemas and entertainment machine centres. In addition, it issues trade licences for private swimming pools, commercial bathhouses and offensive trades such as tannery and processing of sharks' fins. The FEHD also provides support to the Liquor Licensing Board, which is an independent statutory body constituted for the purpose of issuing liquor licences. The Chief Executive appoints board members who meet about four times a month to consider applications.

During the year, the department received and processed 2 587 applications for food business licences, 1 149 for restricted food permits, 825 for places of public entertainment licences, 58 for other trade licences, 817 for liquor and club liquor licences and 133 for permits for karaoke establishments situated in premises with a restaurant licence.

Alfresco dining has been gaining popularity in recent years. Since 2002, the FEHD has streamlined application procedures to provide a 'one-stop-shop' service to applicants. During the year, the department approved 42 applications.

The FEHD also develops and puts forward new initiatives in consultation with the Legislative Council and the trade to further improve hygiene in food premises, and thereby enhance food safety. To strengthen the control of the quality of fish tank water in food premises, a new risk-based surveillance programme has been launched

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