| Abstract: | This report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study undertaken by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. upon request from Ministry of Housing.
The project involves rehabilitation of the existing harbour in Gulhi island in, South Male’ Atoll with modifications to the existing infrastructures. This project is initiated by the government of Maldives as part of harbour rehabilitation programme. The present harbour of Gulhi has not been constructed in the best manner resulting in operational difficulties and issues. The harbour, was completed partially with the quay wall and the deepening of the harbour basin. However, there is no breakwaters to protect the harbour basin and no revetments along the edge of both sides of the harbour have been constructed. All these components together makes a complete harbour and therefore, although the harbour of Gulhi has been constructed, it can be considered as a partially completed harbour.
The harbour has been constructed to ease the access difficulties faced by the island for years. Unfortunately, the breakwaters were not constructed and so the harbour basin does not function to its intended purpose. During the harbour construction, the adjacent area between the island and the harbour has been reclaimed as well as some on the side. However, no revetments were constructed and so over the years, erosion has taken its toll along the sides of the harbour. Lack of a breakwater creates conditions insides the harbour that makes it very difficult to fully utilize the harbour. In addition, an entrance channel will also be dredged to allow safe manoeuvring. The harbour basin has also become shallow in some areas and therefore deepening of the basin will also be undertaken to some extent.
The proposed rehabilitation is therefore geared towards rehabilitating the harbour by constructing an appropriate breakwater, revetment and deepening of the harbour basin. A detail environmental and social condition was assessed based on which recommendations have been proposed. This EIA has been prepared to assess the social and environmental impacts of this proposed project.
Major environmental impacts of the project have been identified as resulting mainly from the construction of the breakwater and dredging works. As the harbour has been completed few years ago, the surrounding marine environment has not fully recovered and it is in a state of recovery. However, this project will again add to the already felt impacts and further burden the marine environment. In view of the assessment, the environmental damages to the marine resources have not been considered major due to the limited boundary of the project and also due to confined EIA for the
nature of the project. The impacts are likely to be felt on an estimated 3% of the reef along the entire reef system. These environmental impacts were assessed for both construction and operation phase of the project.
Stakeholder consultations were held with various groups, including the island council and the client in order to incorporate the socio-economic components in the project. Stakeholders, most importantly the island community represented by the Island council was the most significant as they have the maximum knowledge and experience from the daily difficulties faced. Apart from this, they receive complains from boat owners and other harbour users on a daily basis and these have been incorporated in the report.
It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts, especially when the breakwater is constructed and dredging undertaken. However, the negative impacts out weight the socioeconomic benefits gained by rehabilitating the harbour. As a result, a comprehensive monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered and will allow the assessment of long term changes, despite the limited nature of the impacts. The most important consideration is the socioeconomic impacts that have been assessed mainly as positive in nature. Not only they are positive, but the impacts will be felt in the long term.
The rehabilitation of the harbour in Gulhi does not pose a major threat to the environment. The key component in this project is dredging the entrance channel and construction of a breakwater. It takes place in an environment that has already been damaged significantly, but is undergoing recovery. Therefore, environmental impacts are not going to be of serious concern. However, the social impacts of this project will be significant and will benefit the community as well as other harbour users from the region. Therefore, it is clearly justifiable to undertake this project. |
