Over a month of water cut-offs at courts, employees struggle
Director of DJA said a water leak issue has been identified at Theemuge
Supreme Court of the Maldives
The water cut-off issue at the Supreme Court and High Court has been growing due to a water leak issue at Theemuge.
A media official from the High Court told RaajjeMV that the water cut-off issue has worsened since the end of last year, and that water is not available after 3pm. He also said that water was not available for many days during the past month.
A reliable source told RaajjeMV that employees from the High Court and Supreme Court have been going to a nearby mosque to use water after 3pm. The source said that this has greatly hindered work and caused significant inconvenience to employees. Some work requires staying after 3pm, and if someone needs to use the restroom, they have to go home, the source revealed.
The source noted that there is a problem with a water pipe at Theemuge causing a leak, and that the issue has remained unresolved for many days. It has been reported that the water is being cut off because the water bill has exceeded one hundred thousand Maldivian Rufiyaa due to the leak.
While the High Court and Supreme Court operate in Theemuge, the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) is responsible for maintaining the premises.
Regarding the issue, Director of DJA Abdul Wahid Ibrahim told RaajjeMV that a water leak issue has been identified at Theemuge, but the exact location of the leak has not been found. He said work is ongoing to locate the leak. He also said that water is being cut off after official hours as they work on resolving the issue, and that this has been going on for a month. However, Wahid said that water service is provided if a court requests it even after official hours.
Theemuge is a building constructed during former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration to house the head of state. The building, which was constructed with a strong emphasis on safety and security, has been used for Supreme Court and High Court purposes since the change of government on 11 November 2008, after Maumoon's presidency.
