Man burns offerings on grass despite bins nearby, tells Stomper to go complain if he wants
A Serangoon North resident told a man not to burn offerings on the grass and got rude remarks for his trouble.
Stomper Eugene recounted the incident near the Hwi Yoh Ville Residents' Committee at Block 111 Serangoon North Avenue 1 on Sept 1.
"He was burning a huge load of joss paper on a grass patch. The proper bin was just a few steps away," said the resident.
"When I approached him to inform him that it was against the law, the old man claimed he knew and told me if I wanted to complain, then go complain.
"He continued making some rude remarks to me. I don't think he knows the severity if the whole grass patch catches fire. It's something he can't be responsible for."
In response to a Stomp query, an Aljunied-Hougang Town Council spokesperson said: "The town council has been actively engaging residents through advisories - including one jointly issued by the relevant religious federations - and educational materials featuring our mascot."
The name of the mascot is Ah Thang.
According to the town council website: "Ah Thang is our friendly incense burner reminding residents to use him instead of burning offerings on open grounds.
"Using him keeps ash and smoke contained, and reduces the risk of damaging common property."
The spokesperson continued: "These efforts promote the responsible burning of joss paper and encourage the use of designated incense burning bins provided by the town council. These bins are specially designed to trap ash and disperse smoke.
"We will continue educating residents on the importance of responsible incense burning practices, especially during festive periods, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents."
