ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT for the proposed Agriculture Project in Funadhoo, Gaafu Alifu Atoll Proponent: Maritech Management Pvt. Ltd. Consultants: Amir Musthafa Mahfooz Abdul Wahhab Rashihu Adam September 2017 EIA for Agricultural Project in GA. Funadhoo Table Of Contents CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................ I LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................V LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... VI CONSULTANTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................... VIII PROPONENTS DECLARATION ......................................................................................................... IX NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ X ާސާލުޚ ާދާސ ................................................................................................................................................... XIII 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EIA ............................................................................................... 2 1.3 METHODOLOGIES............................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION .................................................................................................... 2 1.4.1 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4.2 TERRESTRIAL VEGETATION .............................................................................................................................. 3 1.4.3 TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL FREQUENCY ............................................................................................................... 3 1.4.4 LAND CLEARANCE ................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.4.5 CURRENT MEASUREMENT .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4.6 DEPTH MEASUREMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4.7 BENTHIC SUBSTRATE ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.4.8 FISH CENSUS ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.4.9 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS .................................................................................................................... 5 1.4.10 STUDY AREA, IMPACT AREA AND GEO-REFERENCING ........................................................................ 5 1.5 THE PROPONENT ............................................................................................................................. 10 1.6 THE PROJECT LOCATION .............................................................................................................. 10 1.7 NEED AND JUSTIFICATION ............................................................................................................. 11 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................ 12 2.1 LAND USE AND OPERATION OF FARM ........................................................................................... 12 2.2 INITIAL MOBILISATION AND SITE SETUP ..................................................................................... 14 2.3 TEMPORARY FACILITY ................................................................................................................... 15 2.4 WASTE MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................... 15 2.5 ACCESS TO THE ISLAND .................................................................................................................. 16 2.6 VEGETATION CLEARANCE ............................................................................................................ 18 2.7 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................ 18 Proponent: Maritech Management Pvt. Ltd. Page | i EIA for Agricultural Project in GA. Funadhoo 2.8 UTILITIES .......................................................................................................................................... 20 2.8.1 POWERHOUSE ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.8.2 DESALINATION PLANT ...................................................................................................................................... 21 2.8.3 SEPTIC TANKS ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.8.4 RAINWATER HARVESTING ............................................................................................................................... 22 2.8.5 IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................................................... 22 2.9 HARVESTING AND PROCESSING ......................................................................................................... 23 2.10 DISEASE CONTROL ........................................................................................................................ 23 2.11 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN .................................................................................................... 24 2.12 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................. 27 2.13 WORK SCHEDULE ......................................................................................................................... 28 2.14 PROJECT INPUTS AND OUTPUTS ................................................................................................. 30 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ........................................................ 32 3.1 THE MALDIVIAN SETTING ............................................................................................................. 32 3.2 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS .................................................................................................................. 33 3.2.1 TEMPERATURE ..................................................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.2 RAINFALL .............................................................................................................................................................. 34 3.2.3 WIND ....................................................................................................................................................................... 36 3.2.4 WAVES .................................................................................................................................................................... 45 3.2.5 CURRENTS ............................................................................................................................................................. 46 3.2.6 TIDES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 47 3.3 ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS ....................................................................................... 47 3.4 TERRESTRIAL VEGETATION .......................................................................................................... 48 3.5 BEACH ............................................................................................................................................... 58 3.6 LAND CLEARANCE ........................................................................................................................... 59 3.7 TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS ................................................................................................................. 59 3.8 GROUND WATER QUALITY ............................................................................................................. 60 3.9 MARINE WATER QUALITY .............................................................................................................. 61 3.10 MARINE ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................... 62 3.11 BENTHIC SUBSTRATE