Minister of National Planning and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam has stated Gulhifalhu was selected for the development of the international port as it is the best strategic location.
The planning minister made the statement while speaking at the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Climate Change regarding the environmental damages caused by the land reclamation in Gulhifalhu. The committee summoned senior officials of the planning ministry and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after several concerns were raised regarding the sediment plume from reclamation which is travelling towards the reefs of nearby Villimale', endangering over 30 dive sites.
Speaking at the committee, Minister Aslam said the decision to develop an international port in Gulhifalhu was made after extensive discussions in the cabinet, as Male' Commercial Harbour can no longer cater to the demands of incoming cargo vessels and ships. He said Gulhifalhu was selected as it is the best strategic location for the port, considering its proximity to Male' as well as a number of other factors.
Speaking further, the planning minister said while the government had decided to hold all unsigned projects due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gulhifalhu development project went on without interruption as the contract for the project had already been signed.
Meanwhile, Director General of EPA Ibrahim Naeem said there are no obstructions or difficulties in enforcing corrective measures in the project if required. He said there is currently no issue that would require the project to be stopped immediately.
Earlier, EPA stated it is closely monitoring the reclamation in Gulhifalhu. The agency stated the necessary steps will be taken to ensure mitigation measures are taken as per the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project.