Posted on May 4, 2026
By Malika Shahid
Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA) says it has received a surge in complaints alleging breaches of environmental rules in lagoon reclamation and dredging projects across the Maldives.
In a statement on Sunday, the agency said the complaints relate to projects it had authorized under existing regulations, but where operators are accused of failing to comply with permit conditions. The number of complaints was not disclosed.
Reported violations include continuing work without adequate safeguards to limit environmental damage, failure to install bund walls and silt screens before reclamation begins, and sand extraction outside approved areas. Complaints also cite dredging near residential islands and resorts, as well as work continuing during adverse weather alerts.
The agency said environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for such projects require strict mitigation measures, including maintaining at least a 500-metre distance from house reefs and extracting sand only from designated “borrow areas”.
Operators are also required to follow specific dredging procedures, such as closing overflow control valves, using designated routes away from sensitive lagoons, monitoring turbidity levels and suspending operations during weather warnings issued by the Maldives Meteorological Service.
The ERA said the complaints come at a particularly sensitive time, with the Maldives currently under “watch” status for potential coral bleaching, based on data from NOAA Coral Reef Watch. The alert level could rise further in the coming weeks.
The agency warned it is closely monitoring reported violations and will take legal action against operators who breach permit conditions.
Environmental groups have raised concerns over the growing number of reclamation projects near Male’ and elsewhere, warning of long-term damage to lagoons and coral reefs.
United Nations have also warned that warming ocean conditions linked to El Niño could increase the risk of coral bleaching and threaten marine ecosystems in the region.
