Planning Minister Mohamed Aslam has revealed that the design of the harbours being built in islands of the archipelago is one of the reasons behind the severe erosion being faced by the islands of the archipelago.
The minister was on Tuesday questioned by the parliament extensively on the current issue erosion being faced by the islands in recent weeks. The minister was asked regarding the links between the erosion and the construction of harbours, and preventive measures being taken by the government to avoid the issue.
Answering the questions, the minister said harbours constructed in several islands of the north need to be renovated due to design flaws. Unlike the islands in the south, the islands in the northern parts of the country do not have any coastal protection except which is provided by the island's reef.
The minister added that it is likely that some islands may be completely wiped off the map due to erosion caused by harbour construction flaws. Recent cases of severe erosions such as that faced by R. Fainu is an example, said the minister.
"The residents of Fainu are well aware that the erosion is being caused due to the harbour. With the [construction] of the harbour, it has led to the threat of the island being wiped off the map," said the minister.
Aslam said the harbours of several islands were designed in such a way that it had a negative environmental impact. The islands were designed that way due to the increasing demands of the island's residents, and without proper technical expertise, said the minister.
"I do not wish for any resident [of any island] to tell me out of the blue, that so and so is the best way to construct the island's harbour. Not even an engineer can make such recommendations on the spot. What I am stating may not be a popular opinion, but I do believe the best way to approach such matters must be conveyed," said Aslam.
The minister further revealed that the state was utilizing all of its resources to tackle the environmental issue faced by Fainu. However, the administration does not have enough resources to tackle the issue faced by multiple islands simultaneously.
While there are no policies in place to immediately hand over the work to resolve the issue to other parties, such projects can only be contracted to third parties after opening the projects for bids and through tendering. If contracts are issued without going through the proper channels, allegations of corruption will be directed at the government, said Aslam.
However, the Public Finance regulations allow for the Environment Ministry to urgently announce the project and 'single-source' the project. Therefore, the government will pursue the opportunity to tackle the erosion issues despite any backlash that the government may face for taking that direction.
"We cannot wait and watch until the islands completely disappear. We have the opportunity to pursue such projects through single-sourcing. Despite any accusations, we will carry on the efforts. There are capable parties who can undertake such a responsibility. We will contract the work to such a party and carry on with the work," said Aslam.
