Council works on regulations on waste transfers in Male’ area amid spill concerns

The city council is drafting regulations of waste transfers in the greater Male’ region, says Male’ City Mayor Adam Azim.

The effort to formulate regulations come amid concerns over waste spills and pileups, especially in the waters between Hulhumale’ Phase I and Phase II, a popular spot for family picnics.

Azim told Sun on Sunday that the city council will be instructing the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO), which has its Hulhumale’ branch in the area, to prevent waste spills during transfers.

“We are working of formulating regulations on transferring waste from one location to the other in Male’,” he said.

Azim believes the enactment of regulations on waste transfers via both land and sea will resolve the issue of waste spills in the capital.

He said that the city council’s waste management committee was working on drafting the regulations.

However, he did not specify when the council expects the regulations to be finalized.

The efforts come after Azim on August 2 criticized WAMCO, stating that residents of Male’ were forced to dump household waste in streets because of the failure of WAMCO to properly fulfil its responsibilities.

It also comes after North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), sent a letter to WAMCO’s managing director Mujuthaba Jaleel the next day, seeking an explanation regarding complaints of waste spills in the Hulhumale’ lagoon during transfers by WAMCO.

But Mujuthaba has suggested that liveaboard vessels were responsible for dumping waste in the Hulhumale’ lagoon.

He also stated that while it is not the responsibility of WAMCO to clean up the Hulhumale’ lagoon, the corporation clean ups the area three times a week in partnership with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).