Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Mohammed Aslam has stated that a data collection system needs be developed to identify and solve the problem of erosion in the islands. He made the remark while responding to questions at the Parliament of the Maldives.
At the sitting, Minister Aslam warned that the problem of erosion is becoming severe due to the unprecedented changes to the weather due to climate change. He said that the construction projects near the coast also contribute to the problem and highlighted the importance of formulating land use plans.
Additionally, Minister Aslam requested the Parliament to assist in the implementation of his suggestion to solve the issue of erosion. He said the biggest challenge is the lack of adequate information and that it is also a problem for engineers when designing projects. He said that drones can be used to take photographs of island coastlines and record the data into the system. He detailed that a drone with such features can be purchased for USD2,000 and that the photographs can be used to assess the changes.
After Minister Aslam's statement, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said a relevant bill will be drafted and submitted after the Parliament returns from recess.