THE Singapore River is earmarked for a much-needed revamp, but more can be done to improve cleanliness in the area, say customers.

Boat Quay, widely criticised for its touts and unruly patrons, especially needs some sprucing up, said readers my paper spoke to yesterday. A few of them had encountered rats there recently, despite efforts by the authorities
to rid it of pests.

Financial adviser Chan Pei Ying, 32, saw one while walking along the river at Boat Quay last year. It scampered across the steps leading to the water, but she was not startled because "it's quite common there", she said.

Several restaurants in Boat Quay admitted that the occasional rat still enters their premises, in spite of regular pest
control visits. However, they said the situation had improved.

Mr Leonard Oh, 41, executive chef of Boat Quay restaurant, The Moomba, said the rat infestation problem was at its peak three years ago, but has improved since the National Environment Agency (NEA) took action.

He recalled: "There would be families of rats running around at night, picking off food scraps around the garbage bins. Droppings were everywhere.

"NEA started putting bait traps in the drains and since then, the situation is now so much better," he said.

Other restaurant operators and staff voiced similar sentiments about the improvement but said that they still see the occasional rodent.

The public areas in the vicinity of Boat Quay and the Singapore River are maintained by the NEA, which has a rodent control programme in place.

Regular checks are conducted by NEA officers to detect and eliminate rodent habitats. NEA added that the areas are cleaned every day by a term contractor.

For Boat Quay, at least two cleaners are assigned to clean during the day.

Businesses are also required to put in place cleaning programmes for areas under their charge. "Foodshops in the Boat Quay area have been managing their refuse in a satisfactory manner," NEA added.

Businesses in Clarke Quay, meanwhile, claimed to be rodent-free, though one restaurant supervisor said he had seen
a rat in his office last December.

They claimed to send their trash to a central collection point several times a day.

The Clarke Quay management could not be reached for comment at press time, but tenants are believed to be given
strict cleanliness rules to follow.

Security officer Kelvin Moses, 25, said he watches out for tenants who dump rubbish at a non-designated place and takes pictures for evidence. Tenants receive a warning and could get fined for dumping, he added.