Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has stated the Male' City Council has been unsupportive to arrange a land plot for the waste transfer station in VIlimale'.
The project to develop the waste transfer stations is a joint venture between the Government of the Maldives and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR). The project will establish waste transfer stations in Male', Hulhumale', and Villimale'. The waste transfer stations will separate waste from the surrounding area and transport it to Thilafushi.
The environment ministry said the project's implementation is being pushed back due to the lack of a waste transfer station in Villimale'. The waste transfer station will be set up at the waste yard in Vilimale'. However, the ministry said the project is not being carried out due to a lack of cooperation from the city council although the detailed design of the waste transfer station has been drawn for several days. The ministry added the biggest difficulty is faced due to the city council not issuing necessary permits for the project. The council is required to approve the drawings and grant permission for the construction of a building in the city. However, the council has not approved the drawings of the transfer station and has asked for more documents.
The waste-to-energy project, which will set up waste transfer stations, is an important project of the government to address the long-standing waste problem in the Maldives.