NEA DOES NOTHING: RESIDENTS PLAGUED BY SMOKE FROM RESTAURANT FOR YEARS

Dear A.S.S,

My family and I have been suffering from this polluting and health hazardous charcoal bbq smoke from a Bbq restaurant at 530 Geylang road 好张记烧烤, ever since we moved in Oct 2014.

We have complained to NEA countless times. (Fyi, my upstairs neighbor has also complained to NEA few years ago) NEA was told that the restaurant has added carbon filter (with photo proof from the owner)and whatnot but NOTHING HAS CHANGED as we are still enduring the smoke nuisance EVERYDAY especially on weekends.

This restaurant operates from 4pm to 5am EVERYDAY!
Every evening, sometimes as early as 4.30pm, the bbq white smoke from the restaurant's chimney can been seen blowing onto the street and into my homes (living room and bedrooms).
https://youtu.be/qr9DN4B_Zho

The restaurant will start the charcoal burning in a stove at the passage way at the rear of the restaurant daily. (Pls see attached photo) This common narrow passage way is used by public, and the piping hot charcoal stove is left outside till the restaurant closed. And it is definitely a safety concern, waiting for accident to happen. NEA officers knew about this and the restaurant continues this practice as they claimed "their kitchen is too small to fit the stove".

We are utterly disappointed that NEA has renewed this restaurant's license when the problems have not been resolved.

My question is, did the restaurant comply with the rules and regulations stated in the (COPEH & opreational requirements)
Compliance with the Code of Practice of Environmental Health and operational requirements (2015 Edition),

3.2.11 Food Retail Outlet
(a)
All fumes from the cooking range shall be extracted immediately and treated with an air cleaning system. The air cleaning system shall capture particulate matters, grease, oil, water vapour and smell causing compounds such that there is:-
i) No visible black smoke and fumes (white or otherwise) from the exhaust;

iii) No intense / irritating smell of frying, charbroiling, roasting and such other cooking in the vicinity of exhaust.

(c)
The cleaned air shall be exhausted outdoors by a hood flue ... facing away and aesthetically screened from the immediate premises, such that it will not cause smell or other public health nuisance.

If they did not comply, why are they allowed to renew the yearly food license?! and operate their business as usual?

Are licensees suppose to comply with the requirements stated in the COPEH by NEA or it's just for show?

Do they know who are we dealing with? Can we trust this Prc business woman who engaged an Ex Tcs actor contractor to do a job which this same contractor exclaimed loudly numerous times that he is 'NOT IN THIS LINE'!!!

Who are the fools here? NEA or us, the victims?

Do they know how it feels like to smell the charcoal bbq smoke everyday at home, from living room to all the bedrooms? and even from our toilet's tiny window?

Is breathing in this charcoal burning smoke everyday will not do any harm to our health?

Are residents' health and living environments Less Important than a single restaurant's business?

Is it justifiable to let a restaurant to run a business that affect many families?

Are we asking too much to be able to open our windows to enjoy the cool night breeze when we are in our home and when we sleep?

Thank you in advance for reading my long email and I sincerely hope that you will publish my article.

Fennie Tang
A.S.S Contributor