Projects to develop resorts after dredging lagoons have not caused any destructive damage to the environment in the Maldives, tourism minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said on Monday.
Vaavu atoll council recently rejected a government proposal to lease a lagoon in the atoll, claiming that talks were already underway to protect the area.
The tourism ministry wants to lease a 400 hectare area in Fohtheyo lagoon which will be reclaimed for the development of a resort.
Atoll council president Shujau Ali told Adhadhu that the ministry did not consult with the council before coming to a decision.
“The ministry is required to consult with the atoll council before making any leasing decisions. Our concern is that they made all of the decisions regarding the lagoon lease before consulting with us, and only then did they want to discuss it with us,” he stated.
However, Mausoom told Adhadhu that the ministry had been consulting with the public before starting development projects and that teams visited over 100 islands for discussions.
All the island councils and the people of Vaavu atoll had also expressed their wish to develop tourism in the atoll, he added.
He stated that tourism is dependent on natural resources and that investors would not spend multi-million dollars to destroy the environment.
“The whole landscape of Male’ atoll has changed. Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi was developed in a way that would not endanger the reef. It does not feel like a reclaimed island at all,” Mausoom claimed.
Fohtheyo lagoon is a stunning natural area with a wealth of marine life. It has around 12 sandbanks at low tide, making it an excellent place to explore.
Shujau stated that the atoll council has been in talks with the environment ministry for the past four months to designate it as a protected area.
An environment ministry official said although discussions were ongoing to protect the lagoon, the plan can only be finalized after obtaining the input of all relevant authorities.
Mausoom believes that conservation in the modern era means utilizing a location while also preserving its habitat.
