The government of Maldives has ordered Fairmont Maldives' Sirru Fen Fushi Resort to remove the statues featured in its recently unveiled intertidal gallery.
Spokesperson for the President's office Ibrahim Muaz tweeted on Friday that after receiving reports of statues being placed in the resort, the Ministry of Tourism has been asked to oversee their removal.
The "Coralarium" is the first ever museum of this kind. It was designed by English Sculptor and environmentalist Jason deCaires Taylor to shed light on the effects of sea level rise.
The semi-submerged museum features 14 sculptures depicting the human form, placed at skyline, inter-tidal waterline and on the seabed.
Soon after the museum was unveiled, it received harsh criticism as the from within the staunchly muslim nation.
While the orders to remove the statues were issued from the President's Office, an explanation for how the resort gained permission to carry out this project in the first place, has not yet been made clear.
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