No plans to waive off Afcons fine, Shauna says

Government does not have any plans to waive off the fine levied by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) on India's Afcons Infrastructure 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, environment minister Aminath Shauna said Tuesday.

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.

Government has so far refused to respond to repeated questions about the appeal.

In Tuesday's parliament sitting, PNC vice-president and Maavushu MP Mohamed Saeed asked environment minister Aminath Shauna about the issue  as the fine has not yet been paid and the minister is yet to take a decision on the appeal.

Shauna said a legal review had been completed after Afcons appealed the EPA's decision.

"The legal review has advised me to conduct an independent technical review. It is in that stage now," Shauna said.

"Let me tell you that neither I nor the government have any intention of waiving the fine."

According to regulations, the minister can decide on appeals over EPA's decisions within an indefinite period. 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.