Team Clean: Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Leung Chin-man (centre) pictures with a group of "drainage ambassadors" who are ready to clean up public housing estates.

To enhance the environmental hygiene of public housing estates, the Housing Authority is studying the use of a demerit-point system to crack down on residents who repeatedly breach health codes, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang says.

Speaking on three radio programmes this morning, Mr Tsang said the suggestions to terminate leases and evict public housing tenants who repeatedly breach the health code is reasonable and necessary.

Under the marking scheme, to be introduced in August, hygiene-related offences such as littering, spitting and throwing objects from heights will be categorised on a scale from three to seven penalty points according to the degree of risk caused to public hygiene.

Tenants with 16 points accumulated over a two-year period will have their tenancy terminated. 

The department will alert tenants once they have accrued 10 or more points.

Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Leung Chin-man said the Government will act prudently to review all relevant circumstances before a notice-to-quit is issued on those with 16 points or above.

Tenants will have the right to lodge an appeal with the Appeal Panel, he added.

Security guards accompany hygiene inspection teams

The Housing Department has also stepped up its estates inspection through manpower redeployment. To facilitate the department's inspection work, a security guard now escorts each of its inspection teams.

Mr Tsang says the Government will offer residents of about 800 old buildings free inspection, cleaning and maintainence services in the coming weeks.

Home Affairs and Social Welfare Departments will then assist them to arrange or carry out their own cleaning and maintainence work. If the situation continues to deteoriate, appropriate enforcement action will be considered.

Consultation on live poultry sales ban in the offing

Turning to the sale of live poultry, Mr Tsang said the risk of diseases spreading from live poultry to humans is high if they are transported to and treated in urban areas.

One of the possible resolutions is to limit sales and handling of live poultry to non-urban areas, he said, adding that Secretary for Hygiene, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong will submit proposals to Team Clean for consideration.