Elderly man scatters rice outside flat, attracts bird droppings and frustrates neighbours

Residents in an Ang Mo Kio HDB block have been left frustrated by an elderly man who is said to scatter rice outside his flat, attracting large flocks of birds who leave droppings all over the corridor.

Shin Min Daily News reported on July 28 that a member of the public had submitted photos showing rice scattered all over the floor, with birds congregating in the area.

The man is said to live alone on the 9th floor of Block 463 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. When Shin Min visited the area, rice grains were scattered outside the man's unit, with pigeons and sparrows pecking at the ground.

There were also bird droppings on the door of the man's unit and along the corridor railings.

Stopped cleaners from sweeping the grounds

A 52-year-old neighbour named Raman said the elderly man had been living there for about 15 years.

The man used to hoard miscellaneous items, but more recently began scattering rice along the corridor, sometimes attracting over 30 birds at once, said Mr Raman.

The mess left behind by the birds also affected nearby units, leaving the area outside neighbours' homes dirty and unhygienic.

"He also stopped the cleaners from sweeping or hosing the grounds," said Mr Raman. He added that when confronted, the man would insist the corridor was a communal area.

As a result, Mr Raman now cleans the corridor area twice a day. However, bird droppings quickly accumulate again, which he described as "annoying".

"I have complained to the relevant authorities several times before, but the problem has not improved."

Neighbours had also offered to help clean up the mess, but the man refused their assistance.

Plants, bicycles, chairs and baskets outside unit

Another neighbour, Ms Chen, told Shin Min that the man's hoarding issues have created a potential fire hazard. Outside the unit, chairs, baskets, numerous plants, and at least six bicycles were seen along the corridor.

"I saw that he was old, so I suggested twice that I could find someone to help with the cleanup, but he said it was none of my business and rejected my offer on the grounds that it was a public area," said Ms Chen, 65.

Town Council has deployed personnel

In response to the situation, the Ang Mo Kio Town Council said it has deployed personnel to assist with cleanup efforts.

Authorities received feedback from residents earlier this month, and sent a team to clean the area, a spokesperson for the town council said. It has also referred the issue of bird feeding to the National Parks Board (NParks) for further action.

The spokesperson noted that they will continue to follow up with the elderly man on the issue of hoarding in the corridor and assist in clearing items.