1.4 tonnes of garbage was recently cleared from a two-storey terrace house in George Town due to the disturbance it caused to surrounding residents. The operation was a joint effort by the Penang City Council (MBPP), the North-East District health office, and the local police on Monday (Jan 15).
The MBPP, in a statement, revealed that three lorries were needed to remove the piles of deteriorated items from the property, which the owner had deliberately neglected. The residential home had become overgrown and cluttered, prompting the council to issue a Notice Requiring Nuisance Removal on Dec 29 last year under Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976.
Despite the notice, the owner failed to take any action to clean up the accumulating garbage, leading to the joint operation by the authorities. During the inspection, health office officials discovered a large number of mosquito larvae breeding in buckets on the property. This raised concerns over the potential spread of the dengue epidemic.
The statement further mentioned that appropriate enforcement action is being considered against the owner for failing to comply with the Notice, as it has resulted in the premises becoming a breeding ground for disease-carrying larvae. This could lead to the rapid spread of the dengue epidemic.
