Academic Articles -- ޢިލްމީ ލިޔުންތަކުގެ ޖަމާ
Browse
24 results
Search Results
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 : the flood mitigation project at Feydhoo, Addu city(2018-01) Water SolutionsThis report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study undertaken by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. at the request of Ministry of Environment and Energy. This EIA report covers the storm water management project at Feydhoo of Addu City in Maldives. This project would be undertaken on all the flood vulnerable roads of Feydhoo with a total length of more than 5 kilo metres. Feydhoo is one of the islands that is very vulnerable to floods and past such events has caused damages and losses to properties and wellbeing of the people. Due this the government has selected Feydhoo to undertake the flood mitigation project which will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Energy and later the operation and maintenance will be handed over to one of the state owned utility company such as FENAKA or MRDC. The proposed project would help to improve the living condition of the island and facilitate the development of the island. The environmental impacts have been assessed and the proposed storm water management system and associated work of the project has been assessed. The storm water management system development and associated work of the project would have some irreversible impacts on the island of Feydhoo. The impacts of the project results mainly from dust, noise, backfilling and levelling of the road surface at the island. There is no requirement for backfilling materials as the excavated material will be adequate and a sand burrow area is not required. The implementation of the project would have socio-economic benefits not only to the Feydhoo Island, but as whole to the group of islands in the city. The socio-economic benefit outweighs far more than the negative impacts of the project on the physical environment of the Feydhoo. Mitigation measures for these anticipated impacts have been identified and outlined in detail, including measures for minimizing negative effects of generation of waste. These mitigation measures will have to be followed in order to minimize environmental damage. The details of the project have been established based on the concept design, detailed design and the land use plan that had been developed for Feydhoo. Alternative designs and technologies have been investigated for the different components of the project. However, the present project design seems to be a feasible option in terms of costs, durability and safety. An environmental management plan with environmental monitoring has been developed including the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component need to adhere to and would allow assessing the changes to the island environment due to the road development project. Although the project involves inevitable negative environmental impacts, such impacts are predicted to be not severe as to not undertake the project in accordance with the concept plan developed for the island. The project is justifiable in light of the socio-economic conditions and anticipated benefits resulting from the project, which seem to outweigh the negative environmental impacts.Item First addendum to the environmental impact assessment report : harbour extension works at Fares-Maathoda, Fares-Maathoda, Gdh. atoll(2018-02) Land and Marine Environmental Resource GroupItem Environmental impact assessment : proposed development of 10 storey apartment building with basement in M. Two Friends, Male'(2018-02) Musthafa, AmirThis report is based on the proposed 10 storey building construction with basement at the residence, M. Two Friends in the capital city, Male‟. The project is being developed and constructed by the proponent, Rasheed Carpentry and Construction Pvt. Ltd. An Environmental Impact Assessment was necessary for the works outlined in this report as they fall under „Jadhuvalu R‟ of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2012 of the Maldives. Specifically, the inclusion of a basement comes under the Regulation. In addition to meeting the regulatory requirements, the report would further assist the proponent and important stakeholders to make decisions based on favourable environmental conditions with the main focus on sustainability. The project also adheres to several other rules and regulations in the Maldives and has obtained permit from the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure for the project to proceed. The area the project is proposed to be undertaken is a moderately built area in the western side of Male‟ in Maaveyo Magu. There is no natural terrestrial environment at site. The existing environment therefore was focussed on the regional climate of Male‟, and the traffic distribution, and noise pollution in the area. The project area does endures moderate traffic relative to the general traffic conditions in Male‟. A general exterior overview of the existing structures in the area was also observed. It was found that most of the buildings in the area were old structures and maybe prone to some damages. However, serious structural defects are expected to be at a minimum, especially considering the standard foundation protection methods. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using frameworks found in literature. Since the development is undertaken in a moderately built area, the results indicate that the proposed project has neutral impact. However, there are some significant impacts on the environment during the construction phase of the project and these needs to be mitigated to avoid any significant damage to the environment. Significance of the impacts and mitigation measures have been provided based on previous similar projects undertaken in the Maldivian environment and based on literature. The main cause for concern regarding this project is the impact it will have on neighbours residing in this area. As such, several short-term impacts are envisaged including air pollution, noise pollution, aesthetic impacts, traffic issues and safety concerns. As there are numerous high storey building projects being undertaken in Male‟, there is no particular long term impact associated specific to this project, albeit an increase in cumulative impacts. The main reason an EIA was required for the project was due to the basement construction and associated impacts. These can be mitigated by restricting the type of storage materials in the area, implementing fire safety systems, and proper mechanical ventilation and drainage. MNDF fire and rescue services require smoke vent sysms to be in place in the basement. Furthermore, submersible pumps are proposed for the project as well as general mechanical ventilation. The other impacts that do occur can also be easily mitigated to minimise and/or completely nullify them. Mitigation measure proposed includes creating awareness among the construction staff and neighbours regarding the scope of the project. Other measures include taking protective measures to ensure people residing and utilising the vicinity will not have to endure the impacts during the construction stage. Foundation protection measures are recommended and are provided as part of the project to prevent impact on neighbouring structures in addition to a 1m offset from the adjacent building. Dewatering procedure will also be undertaken with care, details of which are given in the report. Care should also be taken to prevent any damage to the road and disruption to traffic during transport of machinery, material and equipment. Alternatives, including the no project option and alternatives for some project components are also discussed. No project option is not viable at this stage of the project. Regarding construction methodology, a few alternatives are recommended. Regarding the design, there are recommendations to make the development greener. These include interior landscaping to incorporate plants, use of green walls, use of LED lights, rooftop solar panels, etc. These are general alternatives proposed for all similar projects. An environmental monitoring program is provided at the end of the report, which provides details on the parameters to monitor on site, and the frequency in which it needs to be done. Estimated costs for the monitoring works are given. It is vital to have a building monitoring and maintenance body in place and to engage them in the monitoring program as continuous data can only be collected then. Implementation of the program is essential for the sustainable development of the project. In conclusion, it is discussed the impact such major housing projects have for the increasing population density in Male‟, and how it can be prevented at a policy level. However, taking this project as a standalone development project in an already heavily built island city, it can be concluded that no significant long-term project specific impacts are predicted, none that the island community is not yet enduring. The same conclusion had been derived for all similar building construction projects in Male‟. Therefore, it is recommended that the project go ahead as proposed with proposed precautions and mitigation measures as provided under the published guidelines and recommended in this study.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 impact assessment for the proposed 6 storey building construction at Ma. Funamaage, Malé(2018-02) Shareef, AliThis report discusses the findings of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out for the proposed 6 storey building at Ma. Funamaage, Bodufulhah goalhi, Malé. The objective of undertaking the project is to provide a residence to the proponent and family. The proponent also aims to rent out apartments in the building for residential use. The report has looked at the justifications for undertaking the proposed project components. Alternatives to proposed components or activities in terms of, design and environmental considerations were suggested. A mitigation plan and monitoring programme before, during and after the works has also been proposed. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts, especially during excavation, dewatering and construction work is carried out. The potential environmental and social impacts from the overall project includes water contamination, shortage of groundwater, generation of waste, air pollution, noise pollution, disruption to traffic and interruption to commercial activities around the project location. After a survey and the study undertaken, these negative impacts identified are not severe enough to not allow the project. In light of possible impacts assessed, a comprehensive monitoring component has been suggested to monitor environmental (natural and social) impact during the course of this project. This monitoring component will be adhered and will allow the assessment of long term changes, despite the limited nature of the impact. In addition, the socioeconomic impacts that have been assessed have been identified as mostly positive impacts, not just in short term but also in long term. Therefore, from an environmental and technical point of view and in light of the existing socio-economic developments it appears justifiable to carry out the proposed project.Item Item Second addendum : F. Nilandhoo : environmental impact assessment to Nilandhoo harbour construction project, Faafu atoll, Maldives(2018-02) Hussain, FirdousThis is the second Addendum to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the harbour development project in Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll. The project is proposed by Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure. No scoping meeting was held as the proposed change is minor. This EIA addendum report aims to assess the issues highlighted in Terms of Reference (ToR) agreed between EPA and proponent. Furthermore, it is to fulfil the requirement of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives (Law No. 4/93). Construction of Nilandhoo harbour was contracted with MTCC on 14th April 2015, whereas the EIA was undertaken for this project on September 2015 by Water Solutions Pvt ltd. Construction phase of the project was commenced thereafter in late 2015. Need and justification of the harbour construction project has been described in the initial EIA. First addendum to the EIA of Nilandhoo was made to change the sand borrow site. The 2nd addendum is to address a proposed design change to the quay-wall structure where the initially proposed revetment and concrete quay-wall will be replaced by a 346m long steel sheet pile quay-wall along the same line. The total length of 346m will be achieved in two stages where 223m will be completed in the first stage. Environmental impacts of the proposed change were assessed for both construction and operation stage of the project. Other than vibration which will also be localized in the project area, no additional negative impacts are expected due to the proposed change in design. Effective impact mitigation measures identified in the report are to be taken during the construction to minimise the magnitude of their occurance Environment monitoring program discussed in 2015 EIA is sufficient and should be followed. In an environmental and technical point of view, the proposed change to F.Nilandhoo harbour project can be continued as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment report : construction of 16 storey residential building at H. Navaagan, Male'(2018-01) Land and Marine Environmental Resource Group
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »