The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Maldives has fined Addu City Council for significant environmental damage caused by uprooting and cutting several palms and trees from an area called ‘Rujjehere’ located in Hithadhoo.
Additionally, the council had dug a pond in the same area. EPA reported it will be fining the council with MVR 30 million for the damages.
According to EPA, it received complaints regarding the council’s conduct. After an investigation, the authority discovered the council had cleared an area of 17,000 square meters from the ‘Rujjehera’ area and dug out 1,700 cubic meters of sand to create the pond.
Addu City Council is being fined a total of MVR 30.8 million, which must be paid within a month, in accordance with the EPA's Penalty and Liability Regulation.
This is the largest amount a government agency has been penalised for thus far. The EPA has the authority to levy fines up to MVR 100 million for environmental damage.
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