Rat activity signs spotted at 313@Somerset

Rat activity has been spotted at 313@Somerset shopping mall on Orchard Road.

According to the National Environment Agency, recent inspections of 57 licensed premises at the mall showed signs that rats had been around eight of the places there.

These eight retail premises include the Food Republic food court and Cold Storage supermarket.

NEA said in a press statement on Monday that enforcement action will be taken against relevant parties.

The mall’s management, Land Lease Retail Pte Ltd, as well as all individual food outlets, have been instructed to conduct a thorough clean-up which includes false ceiling, and to seal off all access points which could potentially allow rats to enter their shops, it said.

The management will also have to put in place a system to monitor the overall rat situation in the mall to enable the company to identify hotspots for prompt control action, NEA added.

Individual food shop operators have been told to tighten their housekeeping and waste management practices.

In particular, food court operator Food Republic will work with its stall operators to ensure that food is properly stored, proper housekeeping is carried out, and all food waste including waste remnants in the floor trap strainers in each food stall are removed at the end of each business day, the agency said.

Tightened rat control and monitoring measures and more regular audits of their work are expected.

NEA said that despite the signs of rat activity at 313@Somerset, there were no signs of rodent infestation in the common areas of the Somerset MRT station including the underpass.