Minister yet to decide on Afcons' fine appeal

Environment minister Aminath Shauna is yet to take a decision on the appeal filed by India’s Afcons Infrastructure over Environment Protection Agency (EPA) decision to impose a fine on the company for the damages caused to the Villimale reef after one of their floating platforms went adrift and crashed onto the reef, during the ongoing construction of the Thilamale Bridge, the ministry said Sunday.

Afcons' platform, which was used to survey the bridge area and drill boreholes for the construction of pillars, ran aground Villimale reef on 16 August. Following a study conducted by the EPA, the agency had on November 13 granted the company a month to pay MVR 69.4 million as penalty for the damage caused to the reef.

Afcons had on December 8 approached the minister seeking a review of the EPA's decision.

Shauna did not respond to repeated questions about the appeal, but on Sunday directed questions to the ministry's permanent secretary Ajwad Musthafa. Ajwad asked Atoll Times reporters to ask the ministry's legal counsel Fazeela Ahmed. 

Fazeela said Afcons had been informed of the ministry's decision to accept the appeal, but added that the minister is yet to decide on the appeal. 

"There is no specific period defined in the law or regulations to take a decision on such appeals," she said.

According to the regulations, the minister can decide on appeals over EPA's decisions. The minister has the power to issue a review or a relaxation.

The platform was stuck onto the reef for more than a week. At the time, the public had expressed concern that the delay in dislodging it would cause further damage to the reef.

Not accepting the EPA report, and Afcons conducted a survey on its own. In November, EPA fined Afcons after taking into account the agency's survey as well as the Afcons survey reports.