Hulhumalé residents forced to stockpile waste in their rooms due to lack of disposal options: Shamheed

Dr. Ahmed Shamheed, the Member of Parliament for the South Hulhumalé constituency, has stated that the country has fallen into a dire state, asserting that the government has failed even in basic waste management. He noted that residents of Hulhumalé are currently left with no means of disposing of their trash, forcing them to accumulate waste inside their own rooms.

During Wednesday's People's Majlis session, members debated a government-sponsored bill to amend the Utility Regulatory Authority Act, introduced by Vilufushi MP Hassan Waheed. Contributing to the debate, MP Shamheed stated that the Utility Regulatory Authority has failed significantly in its mandate.

STELCO is currently a highly profitable company. Over the past two years, the public has consistently voiced concerns and grievances regarding the exorbitant and arbitrary hikes in electricity bills.

Shamheed questioned the logic behind STELCO—a provider of essential public services—becoming the government's most profitable entity by overcharging citizens, asking which other country operates in such a manner. He further highlighted that despite numerous complaints regarding unexplained hikes in electricity bills and the exorbitant costs of water and electricity faced by small and medium enterprises outside the capital, no effective solutions have been provided.

Shamheed stated that the failure of the Utility Regulatory Authority reflects a broader failure of the entire state. He noted that the clearest evidence of this is the country reaching a point where authorities are unable to manage a fire at a landfill or find a solution for waste management.

Today, we are witnessing a situation in Hulhumalé where residents are forced to accumulate waste inside their own rooms. There is absolutely no way to dispose of it. Is this not the very definition of a systemic failure? When people have no means to remove trash from their living quarters, it reflects the dire state of the nation. Even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the world's greatest global crises, the administration managed to handle the situation. Yet now, we are faced with a government that cannot even manage the fallout from a fire at a landfill.

Ahmed Shamheed

The accumulation of waste on the streets and public squares of Malé has escalated significantly following a fire at the Thilafushi waste management site during the early hours of July 19.

In relation to this matter, 11 members of the Male' City Council have held a meeting with the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO). During the meeting, councillors highlighted the significant challenges currently faced due to the lack of a permanent system for disposing of waste collected from the streets, parks, and public spaces of Male'. The Council noted that the existing temporary waste collection sites have reached full capacity. Furthermore, they pointed out that it has been approximately 10 days since they have been able to transport waste to Thilafushi for final disposal.

WAMCO has stated that operations at waste transfer facilities in Malé, Villimalé, and Hulhumalé have been disrupted following a fire at the Thilafushi site, which necessitated the closure of several areas within the facility. The corporation further noted that these operational challenges have led to difficulties in maintaining its regular daily waste collection services.