WAMCO's announcement that waste burned in the recent fire at Thilafushi is to be transferred to HDh. Kumburudhoo has given rise to concern from surrounding islands in the atoll. 

WAMCO Managing Director Mujuthaba Jaleel said earlier today that the burnt waste at the Thilafushi WAMCO site will be shipped to the HDh. Kumburudhoo waste management facility starting tomorrow. The fire at Thilafushi caused over 50 tonnes of waste to be burned. 

Kulhudhuffushi City Mayor Mohamed Athif objected to WAMCO's decision, describing the move as 'absolutely unacceptable'.

Athif said that it is unacceptable to move waste from the entire country to a naturally beautiful island in HDh atoll, which has very few uninhabited islands, while there are several lagoons such as Gulhi Falhu, Uthuru Thilafalhu, Hulhumale' Phase 3 and Fushidhiggaru Falhu being reclaimed near the Male' region. 

Athif added that he did not believe Kumburudhoo is the most appropriate island to handle even waste from its own region. 

WAMCO provides service in Kulhudhuffushi as well, transfering waste from the city to Kumburudhoo. 

Kumburudhoo was a previously inhabited island which now houses a waste management facility. 

Ali Visam, the Council President of neighbouring Kurin'bi, also voiced his objection to moving the waste to Kumburudhoo. 

He said Kurin'bi, an inhabited island just 1.7 miles from Kumburudhoo, will not remain silent while facing mosquitoes, flies and the stench expected from disposing burnt waste there, adding that residents will not tolerate such inconvenience. 

He called on authorities to respect the rights of Kurin'bi residents and to find an alternative island to dispose of the waste in. 

WAMCO previously said that the major fire in Thilafushi has disrupted their waste disposal services as several areas of their site had to be temporarily shut down. 

Operations at Male', Hulhumale' and Vilimale' transfer facilities were affected and the amount of waste that WAMCO could accept was significantly reduced, with recent days seeing only household waste being regularly disposed of.