Environmental Authority Warns of Legal Action Over Illegal Dredging Violations

The Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA) has announced it will initiate legal proceedings against entities violating dredging and land reclamation permits. The warning follows a surge in complaints regarding poor environmental safeguards during coastal development projects across the archipelago. According to the authority, reports indicate a systemic failure to adhere to mandatory environmental protections. Key violations include the omission of sand barriers and silt screens designed to control sedimentation, as well as sand mining activities occurring outside designated permitted zones. Furthermore, the ERA noted instances of dredging conducted dangerously close to shorelines and coral reefs, and projects continuing despite adverse weather conditions or official yellow alerts. These regulations are not optional; they are embedded in the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports required for every project. These reports mandate strict measures to mitigate ecological damage, including the compulsory installation of silt screens to prevent runoff and a strict minimum distance of 500 metres from the house reefs of resorts and inhabited islands. Additionally, developers are required to follow specific dredger routes to avoid sensitive marine habitats and must halt all operations immediately during weather-related yellow alerts to prevent accidents and environmental spills. The ERA emphasized that it is closely monitoring all reported complaints and will not hesitate to act against violators. By enforcing these standards, the authority aims to protect the Maldives' fragile marine ecosystems from the irreversible damage often caused by unregulated reclamation and dredging practices.