More caught for urinating & spitting in public

QX179R SG

SINGAPORE : Environment officers are catching more people spitting and urinating in public places in northwestern Singapore.

There has been a four-fold increase in those caught urinating - from 66 in 2008 to 250 this year.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the high figures are a result of increased patrols.

It has also identified 21 areas in the district which need urgent attention.

With an itchy throat and a full bladder, it is natural to want to relieve yourself - but not at the wrong places.

Ever since the NEA intensified enforcement, officers on litter patrols have caught more of these culprits in the act.

There was a 46 per cent increase in the number of those caught spitting this year compared to last year. As for urinating offences, 66 were caught urinating in 2008, 232 in 2009 and 250 up till November this year.

Most were male offenders between 20 and 40 years old.

Chatterji Somnath, senior manager at NEA's North West Regional Office, said: "With the increase of the number of teams going out, there has been an increase in the number of tickets. Of course we target heavily congregated areas where there is high human traffic. Litter is bound to be there. So I think the strategy is working very well."

He added: "We map out all the sensitive areas where there is high congregation or where there is a lot of feedback. From there, we deploy our officers in teams of two. Certain offences like, for instance, urinating or spitting, it happens off the cuff."

NEA has identified 21 residential, industrial and commercial hotspots within the district, including Woodlands MRT station.

When MediaCorp visited the area, some public corners were scattered with cigarette butts and phlegm - despite litter bins situated nearby.

Mayor for the North West District, Teo Ho Pin, said: "We are faced with new challenges, especially disease outbreaks, so personal hygiene becomes very important. It is something we must continually engage the community, to educate the residents to take up personal responsibility."

The North West Community Development Council currently has 450 litter-free ambassadors.

They have been tasked to speak with residents, in a bid to resolve these problems at the community level.

- CNA/ms

the Bear SG

KNN, more and more people starting to behave like uncivilised barbarians

I-like-flings(m) SG

KNN, more and more people starting to behave like uncivilised barbarians

that's why i always tell my boss i am not interested to stay in china for long.... cos i will become uncivilised like that if i stay any longer........ urinating and spitting in public?? haha it's happening every seconds here man.. knn... fuck up.....

TIB 781 L SG

Urinating in the public when you are a kid is still forgivable, but 20 year old urinating in public? Don't make me laugh.

troublemaker2005 SG

i also always fart in pubic how? can get fined or not?

dechang SG

got alot of public toilets to urine what..

I won't mind seeing a chio bu urine in public

ditzy SG

So how many of those caught were singaporeans?

dechang SG

So how many of those caught were singaporeans?

I bet none.

All were foreigners and 90% of them come from china

Noahtay SG

I bet none.

All were foreigners and 90% of them come from china

i agree

ChoCoChips SG

连我的狗都是potty trained de lo.

ok la. actually he still shits everywhere.

likeyou SG

Again, the figures never show whether the crime committed is locals or not.

the Bear SG

what if they were from locals?

because from what i see, we do have a lot of baggage carried over from the previous generations...

i see local people still spitting freely, and encouraging the progeny of their crotch droppings to litter, spit, urinate and worse in public places... and when i tell them off saying there are public conveniences nearby, these uncivilised boors get really hostile

troublemaker2005 SG

next time if really need to shit at least find a secluded area, dig a hole and cover up the sight and scene, itwill do the evironment good and skill the steps and costs involved in sanitation disposal.

next time i fart for the sake of clean air i will go do it in a tioilet.