A woman living in Serangoon Central says the ground floor of her block has been dirty and messy for months, with cockroaches and rats appearing at night. She is worried about the hygiene of her surroundings.
Madam Guo, 48, told Shin Min Daily News that she moved into her fourth-floor unit at Block 421 Serangoon Central in late October last year, and it did not take long for her to notice problems.
“Before moving in, I came during the day to check the environment and did not see any issues. Even after moving in, I did not notice rats at first. But from March or April this year, rats and cockroaches started appearing downstairs,” she said.
She added that cockroaches have also been showing up inside her unit, so she decided to seal the rubbish chute.
“Sometimes the rubbish bins downstairs are stuffed full. When walking from the block to Serangoon MRT station, the drains and ground also have a lot of litter. Cockroaches will also appear from time to time.”
She reported the issue to the town council, which assured her that cleaning had been stepped up. A reporter who visited the area recently noticed that the surroundings of the block did not appear dirty.
However, some nearby residents said the litter situation has been ongoing for a long time.
“In the past, people said the rubbish bins were too small and complained. Now they have replaced them with bigger bins, but the situation is still the same. It comes down to personal awareness and whether people have civic consciousness,” said one resident who declined to be named.
He added that the rodent problem used to be worse but has improved slightly. Living on the fifth floor, he also sealed his rubbish chute to prevent cockroaches from entering.
Town council says cleaning and pest control have been strengthened
The Marine Parade–Braddell Heights Town Council said it is aware of the concerns and has taken steps to address them.
“Besides routine cleaning and disinfection, we have strengthened pest-control efforts, including twice-weekly rat-control operations and weekly cockroach-control treatments. These measures are part of our efforts to keep residents safe and maintain a hygienic living environment,” the spokesperson said.
The town council also added that pests typically breed where there is leftover food, so a more comprehensive approach is being taken to tackle the root cause. Cleaning and waste-collection frequencies have been increased, and cleaners now patrol the void deck at night to remove trash. Larger-opening rubbish bins have also been installed.
Outreach efforts have also been stepped up to remind residents to properly bag their rubbish before throwing it into the chute or placing it in designated bins downstairs.
“We will continue to work with our pest-control contractor for regular inspections and treatment, and monitor the situation closely. Additional measures will be taken if needed to keep the environment clean and safe,” the spokesperson said.
