EPA did not attempt to collect fine payments, audit reveals

The audit office has revealed that the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) did not attempt to collect fines issued over the destruction of the environment.

The 2017 audit report of the environment ministry states that the EPA did not attempt to collect the MVR 17.7 million fine issued after a tug boat ran aground on the Komandoo coast in 2011.

The audit office in its report highlighted that no documents relevant to the incident was given to them during their investigation and that they were later told that the documents were destroyed when the housing ministry cleaned the warehouse where they were stored.

The audit also revealed that the ministry did not transfer over MVR 500,000 to the state within the required deadline in 2017 and in a few occasions kept money from the state for months. The audit office noted that keeping money from the state for long periods of time increases the risk of it being used for unlawful purposes.

The audit office also highlighted that some project details were not submitted to the national tender board, including the sewerage system development project in K. Huraa which cost the state MVR 7 million.