The Lands Department has welcomed the Ombudsman's review of enforcement actions taken by it and other departments in relation to a case of unlawful occupation of government land in Tin Shui Wai.

It also accepted the recommendations contained in the Ombudsman's report, which was released today.

The department said it was pleased to note that the Ombudsman recognised the necessity of its adoption of a risk-based approach to prioritising and handling cases of unlawful occupation of government land according to their urgency.

The Ombudsman also noted that the department has introduced a series of measures in recent years. This includes incorporating multiple data integration and analysis functions into a new database system introduced in September last year.

The department said it will continue to leverage technology to enhance its enforcement efficiency and detect irregularities. This includes making use of its Geographic Information System, aerial photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicles, and robotic dogs in inspections and monitoring, to enable early identification of unlawful occupation.

The department will also follow up on the Ombudsman’s recommendations to optimise its handling of unlawful occupation cases and strengthen enforcement actions.

These include continuously reviewing the effectiveness of existing guidelines and the database system, exploring the use of technology to improve enforcement efficiency, enhancing training for frontline staff in investigations and evidence collection, and ensuring that staff understand and can fulfil their leading role in resolving land issues.