Singapore legislation
Section 17
Section 17
Duty of owner or occupier on appearance of locusts’ eggs or hoppers
(1)
Whenever locusts’ eggs are found or locusts in the stage in which they are known as hoppers appear on any land, the occupier or, if there is no occupier, the owner thereof shall, as soon as he becomes aware that those eggs have been found or such locusts have appeared thereon, forthwith —
give notice thereof in writing or otherwise to an inspecting officer or at the Land Office or nearest police station, with such particulars as are prescribed by rules made under this Act;
use his utmost endeavours immediately to destroy the eggs or locusts, as the case may be;
carry into effect all instructions given to him in that behalf by an inspecting officer; and
render all assistance in his power towards carrying out any action taken or directed by any inspecting officer for the purpose of destroying the eggs or locusts and, in particular, place at the disposal of the inspecting officer, on demand, for such period not exceeding one week as the inspecting officer requires, so many of the workmen (if any) employed by him on the land whereon that action is or is to be taken, or on any other land owned or occupied by him which is distant not more than 5 kilometres by direct measurement from the land whereon that action is or is to be taken, as the inspecting officer requires, not exceeding one-half of the total number so employed.
(2)
Any owner or occupier who places workmen at the disposal of an inspecting officer in pursuance of subsection (1)(d) is entitled to recover from the Consolidated Fund in respect of every such workman whose services have been utilised by the inspecting officer such amount as is prescribed by rules made under section 20.
(3)
Any other expenditure incurred by an owner or occupier in the destruction of locusts’ eggs or locusts which is certified as reasonable by an inspecting officer is recoverable by him from the Consolidated Fund.
(4)
Any person who commits a breach of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500.