Environment - ތިމާވެށި
Browse
9 results
Search Results
Item Environmental and social management framework: Maldives Covid-19 emergency response and health systems preparedness project(Ministry of Health, 2020-05) Ministry of Health; މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ހެލްތްItem Baseline report – waste management in Laamu Atoll(Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, 2022-07-19)Item Environmental and social management plan : upgrading island waste management centre at Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo(2016) Zuhair, Mohamed HamdhaanThis is a sub-project undertaken under, Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCAP), a World Bank managed, European Union and Australian Aid funded project implemented by Ministry of Environment and Energy on behalf of the Government of Maldives. This project will provide the basic infrastructure for management of waste at Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo, Addu atoll, and ensure composting is undertaken at the island. Appropriate training will be provided to island level staff for this purpose. The main targets of the project include the following; ensure that target island has resolved its waste management issues, establish rules and regulations for waste management, reduce the waste produced and to use reusable materials, aggregate all waste that is produced and dispose-off properly, raise awareness of the community regarding the economic benefits of keeping the island clean and establish a mechanism to ensure that waste is managed appropriately through a proper collection system. The main components of the project include the following; establishment of waste collection system, upgrading of Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC), providing machinery for waste management and transportation of waste to Regional Waste Management Facility (RWMF). The construction phase of the project is expected to be completed within 06 months. This project is proposed to be undertaken immediate north of the existing dump site, at the location of the abandoned IWMC built by Red Cross after Tsunami. The existing IWMC is proposed to be expanded to cater for the current population of Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo. Impacts were assessed using rapid impact assessment matrix method and it was identified that the only foreseeable negative impacts of the project are related to vegetation clearance. Impacts related to construction can be easily mitigated by following good practices and the impacts of operational phase are primarily positive. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Upgrading of IWMC at Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo The environmental monitoring program proposed for this project, ensures that the mitigation measures are implemented and records are maintained in terms of social and environmental impacts of the project. The proposed grievance redress mechanism ensures that any public concerns as a result of the project are attended and addressed promptly. Overall, it is hoped that this will be a positive project that is beneficial to the community of Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo.Item Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed land clearing and tree relocation project in Fulhadhoo island, Baa atoll(2018-02) CDE ConsultantThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed land clearing and tree relocation project at Fulhadhoo Island, Baa Atoll. The proponent of the project is B.Fulhadhoo Island Council. This EIA also serves as a document to be submitted to Ministry of Tourism (MoT) to transport trees from Fulhadhoo to Bolidhuffaru Reef reclamation project. An EIA has already been approved for Bolidhuffaru Resort project. However, the report excludes landscaping components, as the vegetation source islands were not identified at the time. The original EIA recommended preparing EIA Addendums when the vegetation source islands were identified. MoT now accepts reports submitted to EPA (and Decision Notes) if the project boundaries span multiple agency jurisdictions. Hence this report and Decision Note will be submitted to MoT to seek construction approval for landscaping. Fulhadhoo Island is in need for land clearing to create an access road to the western end of the island. The island council requires removing the vegetation within the road foot print but has been unable to do so due to the need for heavy equipment. The landscaping contractors for Bolidhuffaru Resort development project approached the Island Council with an offer to clear the required land in return for the opportunity to transport the trees to Bolidhuffaru for transplantation. The aim of the project from proponent’s perspective are to create the planned ring road around the island and assist in better access to the western sand spit for the booming guest houses on the island. From the contractor’s perspective the aim is to acquire a portion of the native landscaping plants required to landscape Bolidhuffaru Resort. The project has three main components: (i) Vegetation removal; (ii) transplantation, and (iii) demobilization and clean-up. Vegetation removal involves mobilization and site setup, identifying and marking areas to be cleared, and vegetation uprooting and backfilling.Transplantation involves site preparation at receiving site, transporting trees, transplantation and maintenance . The final component is demobilizing equipment and cleaning up the sites. The proposed site for land clearance is located on the undeveloped western part of Fulhadhoo island. The vegetation in this part of the island is modified with forestry areas. The proposed site (road) for vegetation removal contains both forestry areas and natural vegetation zones. The proposed dredging site has been dredged before and is currently used as a basin. The site is predominantly made up of coral sand and does not contain any live coral colonies. All project designs are in conformance to most of the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Tourism Related Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2015, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees, and Dredging and Reclamation Regulation. The project at present is non-compliant to some of the clauses in Dredging and Reclamation Regulation. Due to the geography of the island, the proposed borrow site falls within 500 m of the reef edge, same as most of the dredging works done on the island so far. A section of the site falls within 50 m of shoreline but it has to be noted that there is an existing basin within this distance. Project will require special consideration and approval from EPA on grounds of high socio-economic benefits. EPA has the authority to provide approval in exceptional circumstances. Additional approvals are required from EPA for land clearing and dredging and reclamation before commencement of project activities. The most significant impact of this project is the impact on terrestrial biodiversity. It is anticipated that approximately 245-260 trees and plants, including 135-150 palms may need to be removed from Fulhadhoo during land clearing. All trees that are useable for replanting will be transferred to Bolidhuffaru resort and replanted. Impacts will also be felt on marine biodiversity due dredging and associated direct removal of marine flora and fauna, turbidity and sedimentation; contamination of marine and ground water and soil due to accidental spillage/leakage of fuel and waste; salinization of ground water due to use of dredged sand for backfilling and risks to the health of construction workers. There will also be positive impacts on the island community due to improved access to the western beach of the island and subsequent improvement in guesthouse businesses, and in the form of employment and business opportunities. Mitigation measures have been proposed to minimise anticipated impacts. These include replanting two trees for every tree removed from the island at designated areas in Fulhadhoo Island, storing the vegetation removed in a nursery, making reusable green waste available for the community, and restricting excavator movement within predefined routes. This report has evaluated alternative options for the most significant anticipated impacts. The options evaluated include the ‘No project’ option, alternative locations for borrow sites, alternative tree relocation sites, and alternative green waste disposal options. Since land clearing for road development is a necessity for the island and the disadvantages of not using the opportunity to transplant the trees are higher than the advantages it presents for the Island Council, it is recommended to proceed with the project with the mitigation measures proposed in this report. Consultations were carried out with members of Fulhadhoo Island Council. Island community of Fulhadhoo, Baa Atoll Council, Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, Ministry of Environment and Energy, project contractor, and Bolidhuffaru Resort Developer. Fulhadhoo Island Council and Fulhadhoo public were very welcoming of the project as it is believed that the project will benefit the entire community. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition, it will also provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical environment as a result of the project activities. Environmental monitoring cost of pre-construction stage (if required) is approximately MVR 35,000. Monthly environmental monitoring cost during the construction phase is MVR 25,000. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development on grounds of high socio-economic benefits. Environmental and socio-economic risks associated with the project are expected to be significantly reduced if the mitigation measures and monitoring programme presented in the report are properly implemented within the framework of the environmental management plan.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed outer reef maintenance dredging project in Maafaru island, Noonu atoll(2018-02) CDE ConsultantThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed maintenance dredging and widening of the outer reef entrance of Maafaru Island, Noonu Atoll. The project is part of International airport development project in Maafaru, which has an existing EIA Approval. This EIA was meant to be an EIA Addendum to the project but did not qualify as an Addendum. As per EIA procedures, additional activities, although it is part of an existing project, cannot be addressed in an EIA Addendum, if the site is 500 m away from the approved project site. The proponent of the project is Regional Airports, Ministry of Tourism, Maldives. The main additional works proposed are to widen and deepen the existing outer reef entrance and to build a temporary sand bed to unload construction material and equipment on to the airport site. The changes are required to allow the Contractor’s barge to access the lagoon and the airport site for unloading. The existing reef entrance and lagoon depths are not suitable for the proposed barge to access. The proposed channel widening activity offers significant benefits to the local community and the airport. The channel is narrow and with the increase in traffic during airport operations, a widened channel offers a welcome development to the community, especially since the harbour redevelopment project is also ongoing on the island. The proposed sand bed offers no specific benefit to the community but is meant to be removed. To-date 3 EIAs have been prepared for this project for different proponents. This report takes note of the progressive changes that have taken place over the life of the project since 2009. The most recent report was approved 2 months ago. Hence, some of the baseline data used in this report uses the latest EIA results especially closer to the island. New assessments were conducted on the outer channel area. Most components of the proposed developments are generally in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives. Dredging and Reclamation Approval is required from EPA. The two proposed work sites have been heavily modified in the past. The outer channel was dredged before and the proposed location for the temporary sand bed has been used to create a similar temporary sand bed by the previous developer. Thus the foot print of the impact is largely limited to previously dredged areas. Significant impacts associated with dredging and reclamation activities are present in this project. However, given the work is being undertaken on previously dredged foot prints and due to the short-time frame of works the overall impacts are expected to be moderate compared to an untouched area. One of the most critical impacts highlighted in the assessment is the potential for dredge waste to create further environmental issues, including continued turbidity due to erosion and deposition in the dredged channel. After discussions during Scoping Meeting, Island Council meeting and Proponent consultations, it has been recommended to avoid disposing the dredge waste on the side of the channel and to transport them back to the Airport Construction site to be used for reclamation. This will help reduce the overall reclamation foot print as envisaged in the original EIA. The Island Council also sought to address the possibility of creating a new channel instead of widening the existing channel. This was due to the presence of three patch reefs in front of (but 180 m away from) the channel. The Contractor and the Proponent identified that it may be difficult to accommodate a new component to the project that has significant budget implications. Alternative options have been evaluated for the most significant impacts. Options to avoid the temporary sand beds, create a new channel and to dispose channel dredge waste was considered. Among these a new option to dispose the dredge waste preferred, as explained above. Consultations were carried out with members of Noonu Maafaru Island Council. Island community of Maafaru, Regional Airports - Ministry of Tourism, and Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure. Maafaru island council and the public are in favour of this project since the project is beneficial for the community. An Environment Management Plan (EMP) and Monitoring Plan (MP) are presented in this report that addresses the new activities. However, the EMP and MP presented here must be combined with the programmes presented in the Original EIA. Overall the community of Maafaru, and island council were welcoming of this project. It offers benefits to the community and the airport during operations stage. Thus, this report concludes that the project should be implemented on grounds of very high socio-economic benefits.Item Environmental management plan for the establishment of island waste management centre in Sh. Noomaraa(2018-02) MEECOThe Ministry of Environment and Energy has proposed a project to establish an Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC) in nineteen (19) islands of Zone One (Haa Alif, Haa Dhaal and Shaviyani) in order to manage waste generated, on an island level. This project is funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) under the “Provision of Water Supply, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Project”. The proponent has requested consultancy services of MEECO for the preparation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the proposed project. Of the nineteen (19) islands. Maldives Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) screening process resulted in 14 islands being classified as requiring an EMP. This EMP includes 1 of the 14 islands, namely Sh. Noomaraa. Sh. Noomaraa council pointed out that there are 3 areas used frequently for dumping and burning waste. However, the areas are not demarcated or established to dispose waste. There is currently no waste management system in place in Sh. Noomaraa. Therefore, residents have also been dumping waste at the periphery of the residential zones. These include plastic, organic waste, metals, and glass. Kitchen waste and nappies are thrown on the beach areas around the island. Sh. Noomaraa had no WMP formulated at the time of visit. The proposed Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC) is located in the south eastern side of the island at 6°26'1.15"N, 73° 4'18.14"E. The site is accessible by a cleared road adjacent to the plot. The road has a width of 5 meters and can be used by vehicles. Land clearance works are required as the plot is vegetated with Pandanus (Kashikeyo), Guettarda speciosa (uni), cocos nucifera (Dhivehi ruh) and some undergrowth. It is estimated that 6 coconut palms and 25 other trees will require removal from the site. The main activities involving the construction of the IWMC include vegetation clearance, shallow excavation, substructure and superstructure works as well as masonry works. The proposed design of the IWMC requires a shallow foundation due to the structure being a single story structure. After the structural works are done, masonry, plastering, roofing works are completed prior to the addition of the services components such as electricity and plumbing. The construction phase of the project is expected to be completed within 10 weeks. The IWMC is made up of an equipment room, and separate areas to store metal waste, paper and cardboard, plastic waste, glass waste as well as hazardous waste. The operational phase of the project includes waste collection from households, institutions, and public spaces, sorting, volume reduction and stockpiling of recyclables, composting of organics, and storage of hazardous waste. The IWMC has a capacity of 39 m3 for composting, and approximately 7.9 m3 capacity compartments for glass, plastic, metals and hazardous wastes.Item Kanduhulhudhoo waste management center : environmental management plan(2017-12-27) CDE Consultant