A recent letter by the National Environment Agency demanding information on a litter bug showed just how far the extent of enforcement against littering has come.

NEA "received information"

The letter, which was shared on group chats, said NEA "received information" that the driver of a vehicle was witnessed to have thrown a cigarette butt out of the vehicle while driving.

The language used is not precise, so this could mean that the driver was

1. Seen by an NEA enforcement officer to have been littering

2. Caught on a public camera owned by the authorities to have been literring

3. Reported to the authorities by the public with evidence of the incident

[related_story]

Regardless, the exact details of the date, time and location of the offence were stated, indicating the surety of punishment being meted out on the individual.

Here is the contents of the letter in full, with personal details removed:

Dear Sir/Madam

REQUEST FOR DRIVER'S PARTICULARS

We have received information that on 3 November 2017 at about 12.00pm, the driver of vehicle registration number SGV****R, while travelling along the junction of Tampines Avenue 5 and Avenue 4 towards Simei near Our Tampines Hub, threw a cigarette butt out from the said vehicle onto the public road. The passenger has therefore committed a littering offence under Section 17(1)(a) of the Environmental Public Health Act (Cap. 95).

According to the LTA's record, the vehicle SGV****R is registered under your company.

Pursuant to Section 17(4)(a) of the Environmental Public Health Act (Cap. 95), you are hereby required to provide the identity and address of the person who, at or about the time of the alleged offence, was the driver of the said vehicle.

You may do so by completing the attached slip and returning it to this office within fourteen (14) days from the date of this letter.

Pleased be informed that if you fail to furnish the information within fourteen (14) days as required under Section 17(6) of the said Act, you shall be guilty of an offence which is punishable under Section 21 of the same Act. Upon conviction, you will be liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000.