FEHD joins force with Police to stringently combat shop front extension at Ngau Chi Wan Village in Wong Tai Sin (with photos)
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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Hong Kong Police Force today (February 29) conducted a joint operation to combat the serious shop front extension problem at Ngau Chi Wan Village in Wong Tai Sin which has persisted for many years. The spokesman for the FEHD said that the operation has achieved certain results as the pavement has resumed obstruction-free. The FEHD and the Police will continue to closely monitor and take stringent enforcement actions in order to eradicate the shop front extension problem in the vicinity.
During the operation, the FEHD issued 11 fixed penalty notices or summonses against obstruction in public places, cleanliness offences as well as contravention of Food Business Regulation. Meanwhile, the FEHD had removed about 2.3 tonnes of goods and miscellaneous articles.
Under the joint enforcement mode, if obstructions in a public place or carriageways were caused by articles illegally extending from shops, the offenders concerned would be prosecuted. Apart from that, the Police would issue warning notice under section 32(1) of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228) specifying the time limit for removal of the obstructions (including goods). If the obstructions remain, the FEHD would remove the items and put them in temporary storage.
The spokesman said that with the efforts by the FEHD and the Police, there has been visible improvement in the shop front extension situation across the territory over the past year and more. The spokesman appeals to shop operators to exercise self-discipline in complying with the law, and not to extend business areas illegally.