Muizzu administration defies environmental laws, launches controversial Vihafaru reclamation
Credible sources report the reclamation at Vihafaru commenced during a ceremony attended by President Muizzu on Thursday, without submitting any of the legally required documentation to the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA).
Footage from the event held to launch the land reclamation project for the development of an airport on N. Vihafaru shows sediment and sludge spreading across the entire surrounding area. | Screen image
The administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has effectively bypassed the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives by initiating a land reclamation project in Vihafaru of Noonu atoll.
According to credible sources, the reclamation at Vihafaru commenced during a ceremony attended by President Muizzu on Thursday, without submitting any of the legally required documentation to the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA). As a result, none of the statutory permits mandated by law have been issued for the project.
Footage broadcast live by state media showed two excavators actively digging and dumping sand, with no siltation control measures such as silt screens in place. Consequently, sediment was seen spreading extensively across the reef, a process clearly visible in the televised coverage.
A review of ERA’s official website confirmed that neither an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report nor any application for development at Vihafaru has been submitted or made publicly available.
The reclamation of the Vihafaru lagoon for the construction of an airport was a key campaign pledge of President Muizzu.
Under Section 5(a) of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, an EIA report detailing potential environmental impacts is mandatory before commencing any project that may significantly alter natural surroundings. Section 6 of the Act empowers the ministry to halt any ongoing project found to be causing environmental harm, and explicitly states that no compensation is provided for projects suspended under such circumstances.
In addition to this, Clause 7 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, formulated under the Act, requires the project proponent to obtain a written Environmental Decision Statement from the Ministry of Environment or its designated authority before beginning any development activity. The regulation further stipulates that failure to conduct a required EIA is punishable by a fine not exceeding MVR 200,000, and the identity of the offending party must be publicly disclosed. Undertaking a project without a valid Environmental Decision Statement constitutes a punishable offense.
This instance of the Muizzu administration proceeding with the Vihafaru project in clear violation of legal frameworks, with the president himself in attendance, is reportedly not isolated. Reclamation for the industrial zone in N. Velidhoo and the Sh. Komandoo airport project were also reportedly initiated in breach of legal requirements. Concerns have additionally been raised over waste disposal during the reclamation of Hulhumalé Phase III.
As large-scale dredging operations continue across multiple regions, the lack of environmental safeguards has led to widespread sediment dispersal. The ongoing reclamation of Ras Malé, reportedly conducted without environmental considerations, has caused damage to ‘Tucky Joes’ , also known as Miyaru Faru, one of the Maldives’ premier surfing spots. Despite protests from maritime communities, the government has failed to implement corrective measures.
The Vihafaru reclamation project, aimed at developing an airport, involves reclaiming over 40 hectares of land to a height of 1.6 meters. The project was officially inaugurated on Thursday by the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, and the Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed.
