The High Court has issued an order to immediately halt the land reclamation project of Gulhifalhu initiated by the former government to provide land plots and build flats for housing and establish an international commercial port.
The High Court ordered to halt the project until a final decision is issued in a related case ongoing in the Civil Court. The Civil Court earlier ruled that the project could continue while the case is ongoing. The High Court order was issued following an appeal of the Civil Court decision.
Environmental activist Humaida Abdul Ghafoor (Humay) filed the case saying the reclamation would cause irreparable damage to the environment in Gulhifalhu and the surrounding areas.
After comparing the financial loss to the state, the majority of judges who heard the case noted that irreparable and long-lasting damages might be caused if necessary measures are not taken to protect the environment.
The judges concluded that environmental damage was being done because the sedimentation levels were not maintained as stated in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project.
The petitioner in court noted that in some cases, sedimentation has reached 50 percent and 100 percent, according to sedimentation rate monitoring reports.
This is the first time a court has halted a major development project in Maldives because it is harmful to the environment.
Housing projects were planned in Gulhifalhu during the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed in 2008. However, former President Abdulla Yameen, who was in office from 2013 to 2018, decided to discontinue the projects.
The government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from 2018 to 2023 decided to add more land to Gulhifalhu by reclaiming parts of the lagoon and constructing a bridge to link with the capital Male'.
Work is ongoing to construct the bridge, but the new government of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided to transfer the commercial port planned in Gulhifalhu to Thilafushi.
