Auntie stands on rock and uses branch to get fruits from tree in Senja Road
Forbidden fruit is the sweetest?
A woman was seen standing on a rock and trying to reach for fruits hanging from a tree at Block 603 Senja Road.
Stomper Steven shared photos of the middle-aged woman armed with a branch and a plastic bag on May 22, at around 9.19am.
He said: "Are these fruits edible? The woman was using a branch as her aid to put them into a plastic bag in the other hand.
"It's certainly not safe to stand on those rocks. What if she loses her balance and hits her head against them? She is putting herself at risk of injury if she falls."
Steven told Stomp it was his first time witnessing something like this, adding: "Nobody usually bothers. It's not as if these are grapes!
"I understand the picking of fruits from public places is an offence."
Steven is correct.
Under the Parks and Trees Act, damaging/removing plants or parts of plants from parks and gardens is not permitted. Offenders who cut, collect or displace any plant in these areas can be fined up to $5,000.
Most roadside trees, which are typically in areas managed by the National Parks Board (NParks), also fall under the Act.
According to The Straits Times, the severity of the punishments may vary, depending on where the offence was committed and other mitigating circumstances.
Can you collect or keep fruits that have fallen naturally to the ground then? No, that is prohibited as well.
Individuals and groups who wish to collect seeds, cuttings or fruits for research, education, propagation, charity or other purposes must approach the relevant authorities for permission.
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