Authorities have slammed the local government council of Lhaimagu in Shaviyani atoll for illicitly clearing palm trees on the island.

The Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday that the council has been informed of the penalty against them, although the they did not publicly reveal the amount.

The agency did say that the council has been asked to plant palm trees to replace the ones they had cut down.

Allegations that the council had violated their permit to cut down palm trees by clearing the island of more than they were authorized to surfaced in October last year.  

Abdul Ghani Ibrahim, the president of the council, spoke with RaajjeMV and had then denied the allegations entirely.

Ghani said that palm trees are being cleared to develop a waste management site and that the project had been carried out as per regulations.

Ghani also said that the project was managed by the Environment Ministry and that they had delegated it to the council.