NGOs express concerns over plans to build VilliMale' roads

A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have expressed concerns regarding the government's decision to build the roads of VilliMale'. The concerns were voiced after the government instructed the Road Development Corporation (RDC) to conduct surveys and environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for the project.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday by the local VilliMale' community organization VilliJoali and Save The Beach, the organizations claimed that the roads of VilliMale' are already up to modern standards as it is. They stated that the actual issue is only the lack of maintenance of the roads.

The organizations stated that in their view, it would prove more beneficial to conduct maintenance and repair on the existing streets of the island instead of implementing the building of new roads.

The statement highlighted the need for repairing of the drains and pavements, as well as the leveling of the roads through repairing potholes and cracks.

The organizations appealed to the government to refrain from uprooting trees in the instances where tree roots may be causing damage to roads. They requested that the government instead refer to practices in other developed countries and find alternatives which would prevent the need to remove said trees.

The statement went on to note that even in the recent torrential rains that caused flooding in both capital Male' City and Hulhumale', VilliMale' did not experience any such issues.

"We must appreciate the protection that preserving the natural state of the island offers when faced with similar adverse weather conditions," the statement reads.

VilliMale' has always been noted as an environmentally conscious community, with even the use of land transport limited to a low level. It is the only island in the Greater Male' region which still maintains the natural conditions of the island.

RDC was assigned the work on conducting the survey and EIA on last Thursday. The project is scheduled to be finished in four months, and is estimated to cost the government MVR 1.8 million.