Monday
23rd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
AA. Rasdhoo residents are concerned about Madivaru sandbank erosion.
Madivaru sandbank, a little more than a narrow and pristine sandbank, located less than a kilometer from Rasdhoo's east coastline, next to Madivaru, a tiny uninhabited islet.
A young man from Rasdhoo told TMJ that the Madivaru sandbank had been eroding for over two years and many plants on the sandbank had died due to salt water contamination. He said that the erosion sped up following the island reclamation work done at the nearby Veligandu Resort.
The youth stated that the council has made no efforts to solve the erosion problem. According to the man, the council told concerned citizens that they were speaking to the Environment Ministry but have not taken any actions to find a solution.
Madivaru sandbank was being used by people of Rasdhoo and other nearby islands for picnic and kite surfing. The islanders have noted the importance of the sandbank to the economy of the island.
The man told TMJ that the sandbank was the only significant spot guesthouse owners and neighboring resorts could sell to their guests.
The reclamation issue of Veligandu Island Resort surfaced last year where they reclaimed more land than permitted using excavators and other equipment. Rasdhoo residents and other concerned parties had protested the project in addition to the reprehension on social media.
Environment Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Crown Company, company responsible for Veligandu Resort, to halt the project in August 2021, due to the damage caused to the environment.