Tree relocation from 3 islands proposed for greening Giraavaru reclaimed land
The EIA report estimates that more than 142,000 trees will be required to green the reclaimed land.
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Trees will be harvested from three uninhabited islands for the greening of the land being reclaimed from K. Giraavaru lagoon to provide plots to Male natives under the government's Binveriya scheme.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the reclamation project includes details of the greening of the land reclaimed from Giraavaru lagoon.
According to the EIA report, trees will be harvested from HA. Mulidhoo and GDh. Gan. In another letter sent by Agronational Corporation (AgroNet) to its parent Maldives Fund Management Corporation (MFMC), which is undertaking the Giraavaru development project, trees will also be harvested from L. Gaadhoo.
The EIA report estimates that more than 142,000 trees will be required to green the reclaimed land:
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Coconut palms (of different sizes) - 18,596
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Other plant species – 123,625
According to the law, trees can be harvested only with a permission from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Two trees will have to be planted for each tree uprooted even under the permission.
Based on the EIA report, around $270,000 (MVR 4.1 million) will be required to replace the uprooted trees.
The government has raised financing to reclaim and develop a residential city in K. Giraavaru lagoon by selling a lagoon and island in the northern Noonu atoll to a foreign company for $27 million (MVR 416 million).
The Binnveriya scheme is designed to allot land from Male for natives of the capital city. The Gedhoruveriya scheme is meant to provide flats to natives as well as residents who have lived in Male for over 15 years.
Earlier, the housing ministry had said that around 36,000 applications had been received for the two schemes:
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For land – 15,164 applicants
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Three-bedroom apartments - 14,489 applicants
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Two-bedroom apartments - 6,208 applicants
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Total - 35,861 applicants
Under the Binveriya scheme, the land will be allotted by reclaiming Hulhumale and Gulhifalhu as well as Giraavaru lagoon. The total size of the land earmarked for allotment under the scheme is 3.7 million sqft. According to the ministry, the number of plots to be allotted will be decided based on the size of the plot to be allotted to individual applications selected for allotment.
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The minimum size of the plot available for an application is 1,250 sqft
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For joint applications, each additional participant will be assigned an additional 400 sqft
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If more than seven people participate in the joint application, the total size will be capped at 4,000 sqft
