The CRU, which will be formed after changes to the Community Disputes Resolution Act were passed on Nov 12, will focus on tackling two types of community disputes - cases involving hoarding and severe noise.
Ms Sim said the bulk of the cases the CRU will deal with will be noise-related, since the volume of severe hoarding cases is not high.
That said, hoarding is an issue that poses public health and safety risks, she added.
In severe hoarding cases, the home may be infested with pests from rotting food, which could affect neighbours. Clutter is also a potentially fatal fire hazard, she noted.
She pointed out that the director-general for community relations who will head the CRU can apply to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) to forcibly declutter a residential unit as a last resort, after efforts from front-line agencies have been exhausted and the hoarder still fails to comply.
If such an order is granted, the CRU's community relations officers will be authorised to enter the unit to remove and dispose of hoarded materials and items.
Other than the hoarding issue, the CRU will also focus on disputes where noise is causing severe suffering to neighbours, said Ms Sim.
Officers will have a range of powers, including to issue direction to compel parties to go for mediation at the Community Mediation Centre. Failing to comply will be an offence.
The officers can also deploy noise sensors to collect evidence on the direction, timing and intensity of the noise nuisance.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 13, 2024 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 13, 2024 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
NO SNOW, BUT SANTA'S STILL AT WORK
With a month to go until Christmas, Santa Claus is busy preparing, but he is worried about the warming climate and lack of snow in his Arctic home town.
My Chemical Romance ex-drummer Bob Bryar was active in dog rescue
Bob Bryar, the former drummer of pop-punk band My Chemical Romance, who was with the group from 2004 to 2010, has died at the age of 44.
Lady Gaga to hold free gig at Rio's Copacabana Beach: Sources
Pop star Lady Gaga is set to hold a free concert at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach in May 2025, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, a show expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans.
Taylor Swift fans turn out on Black Friday for vinyl album, new Eras Tour book
Young Taylor Swift fans and their parents lined up outside some of Target's nearly 2,000 stores in America early on Nov 29 - Black Friday - to buy copies of her new Eras Tour book and vinyl album.
K-drama actor Jung Woo-sung apologises after scandal on love child
One of South Korea's top actors apologized after it was revealed he fathered a child with a woman he is not married to, sparking nationwide scrutiny in a country where births outside marriage are still seen as taboo.
Festive vibes with Vivaldi at SSO's choral concert
CONCERT GLORIA!
An exploration of personal identities through dance
As one stepped into the theatre, a dancer was already on stage, performing a short series of movements.
BoA's first solo show harks back to K-pop's roots
The South Korean singer-songwriter's Singapore show was the last stop of her first Asia tour
The myth of an equal marriage
Research has shown that married women continue to do more at home compared with their husbands, so it is time for men to step up
What to do if your child is targeted by a bully
Following recent incidents of school bullying, several parents wrote in to ST to ask for advice on how they can help their children if they are targeted by a bully or bullying someone.
