Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Climate Change has decided to review the action plan of the administration in tackling the issue of erosion in islands.
The committee held an emergency meeting following the increase in severity of erosion across the country. During the meeting, members of the committee decided to review the efforts of Ministry of Environment regarding the issue. As such, the committee has decided to summon Minister of Environment Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan regarding the action plan on erosion.
The committee has also decided to collaborate with relevant authorities in preparing a report on the matter, noting the existing problem of erosion is different from the seasonal movement of sand through longshore drift. Several members expressed the need to halt development projects that could lead to erosion.
Speaking at the committee, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said erosion is caused by both natural events and human actions. The speaker said it is important to identify the main reason behind the increased rate of erosion in Maldivian islands, adding simply halting development projects will not resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, several members of the committee noted authorities are not doing enough to tackle the problem of erosion. Members called on authorities to protect the shores of the islands before it is too late. They also called on authorities to bring the issue to the attention of the international community.