Bedok resident asked to help identify smoker outside his unit

The resident has been asked by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to help identify smoker outside his unit, after the smoker was caught smoking at the corridor by thermal cameras. NEA gave the resident 14 days to provide information on the offence, or face a fine of up to $2,000.

A Bedok resident has been asked by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to assist in investigations on the person caught smoking outside his unit by a thermal camera, reported Channel News Asia.

“Our investigations revealed that you are the lessee of the said premise,” read the NEA letter dated 6 June and sent to the resident of Block 620, Bedok Reservoir Road.

“You are hereby required to take reasonable steps to provide relevant information of the offence such as the identity and address of the person who was smoking on or about the time of the alleged offence.”

The letter revealed that a video recording showed “people smoking at the corridor…and entering/exiting from the unit” between 11 and 14 April.

With this, NEA gave the resident 14 days from the date of the letter within which to provide information on the offence.

Failure to provide the information within the given period could see the resident being charged under Section 4B of the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act.

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“If (convicted), you will be liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000 for a first-time offence,” said NEA.

Since January, NEA has conducted around 70 thermal camera deployments within residential areas as well as other areas with persistent feedback on smoking issues.

“The thermal camera enables NEA to further enhance our enforcement operations and capability to detect smoking at prohibited areas,” it said.

“These thermal cameras are able to detect objects emitting high heat and can capture images of the smoking offence.”

The agency issued over 30,000 tickets for smoking within prohibited areas last year.

“NEA will continue to take enforcement action against smokers who flout the law,” it said.

Fiona Ho, Digital Content Manager at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories, email fiona@propertyguru.com.sg