Vandalism, wax burning and littering by Mid-autumn Festival revellers will not be tolerated at Leisure & Cultural Services Department venues from September 10 to 12.

Chief Leisure Manager for Hong Kong West Li Choi Wing-kwan said zero-tolerance enforcement will be implemented to sustain the good efforts of the Team Clean campaign.

Zero tolerance: The Leisure & Cultural Services Department will step up patrols at its venues to fight wax burning by Mid-autumn Festival revellers.

More than 1,000 officers will be deployed to step up patrols and prosecution against offenders at major venues such as Victoria, Hoi Sham, and Sha Tin Parks, the Cultural Centre and beaches, during the period.

Neither the department's uniformed nor plainclothes officers will give warnings to offenders. They will take instant enforcement action.

Patrol teams have been set up in 18 districts to inspect leisure venues, beaches, barbecue sites and other department facilities.

The Pleasure Grounds Regulation prohibits melting or burning wax or sprinkling or pouring liquid onto hot wax "in such a manner as to cause or as to be likely to cause a risk of injury to any person or damage to any property".

Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and 14 days' jail.

There will be a fixed penalty of $1,500 for littering.

Hospital Authority statistics show the Mid-autumn Festival is the worst period for injury cases attributed to wax burning or candlelit lanterns. Last year, casualty wards handled 24 cases, compared to 16 in 2001 and 23 in 2000. 

Last year, the department issued 11,343 verbal warnings for wax burning. No one was prosecuted.

About 17,410 verbal warnings were issued in 2001, and one person was prosecuted and fined $1,000.

A hotline - 2414 5555 - has been set up for the public to report wax-burning cases at department venues. It will operate from 7pm to midnight on September 10, 11 and 12.

Upon receiving a complaint, the department will send staff to the venue to take appropriate enforcement action.

Ms Choi appealed to people to clear up any mess they make during the holiday and keep the department's venues clean and tidy. Visitors should take away any personal belongings when they leave.

Although lighting candles is not regarded as burning candles or wax, people celebrating the festival should place a metal can or other non-flammable containers under the candles to collect melted wax for easy disposal.

In 2002, department staff collected eight tonnes of rubbish from Victoria Park the day after the festival, less than the 12.2 tonnes it collected in 2001.