Environmental impact assessment : three islands - K. Thulhusdhoo

Abstract

The aim of the Three Islands Project is to turn three islands in three different atolls into larger, safer community centres for the entire atoll in which they are located. This is achieved by building land reclamations at each of these islands, and protecting these reclamations (and the existing islands) with new revetments. This approach to increasing safety and enabling social and economic development is based on the Safer Island/Focus Island policy that was developed by the Government of the Maldives at the beginning of the 21st century, well before the tsunami of December 2004 struck. The Government of the Maldives has selected the following islands to be developed in the Three Islands Project: • Hinnavaru in Lhaviyani atoll • Thulhaadhoo in Baa Atoll • Thulhusdhoo in Kaafu Atoll The execution of the Three Islands Project will be under the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment (MHTE), which will therefore act as the Project Proponent. The Three Islands Project as a whole will involve the placement of approximately 3 million cubic meters of sand, which will more or less be evenly distributed over the reclamation areas of the three islands. Approximately 5500m of revetments will be constructed, and at Thulhaadhoo and Thulhusdhoo a new quay wall will be constructed in the existing harbour. The total cost for the Three Island Project is approximately 34 million euros. A separate EIA is done for each of the three selected islands in order to better emphasise the environmental and socio-economic impacts at each island and atoll. The islands are located at more than 150 km distance from each other, so no cumulative environmental effects are expected that need to be addressed in an EIA for the project as a whole.