Min. Aslam: Govt. intends to carry out reclamation projects simultaneously

The Planning Minister Mohamed Aslam has stated that the government intends to carry out all the reclamation projects simultaneously.

Speaking at the Parliament’s Committee on National Development and Heritage on Thursday, Minister Aslam stated that discussions were being held with one of the best companies for the work in the world. The company has carried out projects in the Maldives previously, according to the Minister.

The government's intentions were not to carry out land reclamation projects now and then when there is a need, but to carry out all of these projects and complete them at the same time, according to the Minister who also stated that development can only be pursued when projects of land reclamation are completed. This was the reason why the government wanted to carry out reclamation projects simultaenously, stated the Minister.

He also estimated that even though the land set to be reclaimed in some islands are very small, the total size of the land to be reclaimed for all islands combined would be sizeable.

“We will have to source the budget for that (project) somehow. Some funding is included in this year’s budget. But there is a lot of small lands to be reclaimed from some islands ranging from 5 hectares to 10 hectares. When all of this land is accounted for in total, it would be quite a lot.” Said Aslam.

Aslam also stated that even though land reclamation would damage the environment, it was a necessary thing to do and that the government plans on carrying out such projects in the manner that has the least impact on the environment.

Note: The word "Non-stop" used in the original heading was a mistranslation and it has since been amended.