RA: Cutting trees from Kulhudhuffushi Mangrove is prohibited

Cutting trees from the mangrove in H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi is illegal, despite permission by Kulhudhuffushi Council, says Regional Airports.

Speaking in an interview with “Sun”, Director of RA, Saamy Ageel said the Kulhudhuffushi Mangrove was a protected area, and overseen by the RA. Saamy said the Council therefore had no authority to permit cutting down of trees in the area.

“We say to Kulhudhuffushi Council that cutting down trees in the mangrove is illegal,” said Saamy. “A number of locals are in the area with electric saws with the council’s permission.”

An announcement published by Kulhudhuffushi Council in the Government states that a number of locals had been requesting permission to extract certain types of trees from the mangrove in light of plans to reclaim land in the area to build an airport. The council announced it was therefore granting permission for locals to cut down the trees.

Saamy said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was due to instruct Kulhudhuffushi Council against allowing cutting down of trees in the mangrove this Thursday.

Plans to reclaim land in the mangrove for the airport has been met with concern by locals and environmentalists.

Saamy said mangrove had 22 hectors, and that only 8 hectors of the mangrove would be reclaimed for the airport which means 75 percent of the mangrove will be saved.