ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AGRICULTURAL CENTER AT MENDHOO, LAAMU ATOLL June 2018 Proposed by: Hassan Adil Prepared by: Hassan Shah (EIA P02/2007) Mohamed Umar (EIA T07/2017) Abdul Aleem, (Environmental Consultant) For Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Maldives Environmental Impact Assessment of The Development Of An Agricultural Center At Mendhoo, Laamu Atoll Contents 1 DECLARATION OF THE CONSULTANTS ....................................................................... X 2 PROPONENT COMMITMENT AND DECLARATION ................................................... XI 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 12 3.1 STRUCTURE OF THE EIA ................................................................................................... 12 3.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EIA .................................................................................. 12 3.3 EIA IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................................................................... 12 3.4 TERMS OF REFERENCE ...................................................................................................... 12 3.5 DESK STUDY REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 12 4 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ......................................... 13 4.1 LAWS AND REGULATIONS ................................................................................................. 13 4.1.1 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act .......................................................... 13 4.1.2 Protected Areas and Sensitive Areas ............................................................................ 13 4.1.3 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 .................................................... 13 4.2 WASTE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS .............................................................................. 13 4.3 REGULATION CUTTING DOWN, UPROOTING, DIGGING OUT AND EXPORT OF TREES .......... 14 4.4 GUIDELINES FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER DISPOSAL .................................................... 14 4.4.1 Post EIA Monitoring, Auditing and Evaluation ............................................................ 14 4.5 ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS ............................................................................................... 15 4.5.1 Decision Statement (EDS) ............................................................................................ 15 4.6 RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................. 15 4.6.1 Environmental Protection Agency ................................................................................ 15 4.6.2 Ministry of Environment and Energy............................................................................ 15 4.7 RELEVANT POLICIES ......................................................................................................... 15 4.7.1 Third National Environment Action Plan ..................................................................... 15 4.7.2 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan ........................................................... 15 4.8 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ....................................................................................... 16 4.8.1 Convention on Biological Diversity .............................................................................. 16 5 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................................................. 17 5.1 PROJECT PROPONENT ........................................................................................................ 17 5.2 PROJECT LOCATION AND STUDY AREA ............................................................................ 17 5.3 NEED AND JUSTIFICATION ................................................................................................. 17 5.4 PROJECT DETAILS ............................................................................................................. 18 5.5 PRODUCTION OF BANANAS ............................................................................................... 19 5.5.1 Soil ................................................................................................................................ 19 5.5.2 Irrigation ...................................................................................................................... 19 5.5.3 Fertilization .................................................................................................................. 19 II Environmental Impact Assessment of The Development Of An Agricultural Center At Mendhoo, Laamu Atoll 5.5.4 Land preparation .......................................................................................................... 19 5.5.5 Propagation .................................................................................................................. 20 5.5.6 Fruit Harvest ................................................................................................................ 20 5.5.7 Weeding & Cultivation ................................................................................................. 20 5.5.8 De-suckering ................................................................................................................. 20 5.6 HYDROPONIC CULTURE OF TOMATOES ............................................................................ 20 5.6.1 Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) .................................................................................... 20 5.6.2 Drip Irrigation system .................................................................................................. 20 5.6.3 Basic Care .................................................................................................................... 20 5.7 TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER .................................................................................................. 21 5.8 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ......................................................................................... 21 5.9 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURES .............................................. 21 5.9.1 Power plant and diesel tanks ........................................................................................ 21 5.9.2 Water Resources ........................................................................................................... 21 5.9.3 Feed water intake ......................................................................................................... 22 5.9.4 Jetty and Access Channel ............................................................................................. 22 5.9.5 Staff Infrastructure and Management ........................................................................... 23 5.9.6 Septic Tank System ....................................................................................................... 23 5.9.7 Vegetation Clearing ...................................................................................................... 23 5.9.8 Environmental Protection Buffer area around mangroves .......................................... 24 5.10 PROJECT SCHEDULE .......................................................................................................... 24 5.11 PROJECT INPUTS AND OUTPUTS ........................................................................................ 25 5.11.1 Project Inputs ........................................................................................................... 25 5.11.2 Project Outputs ........................................................................................................ 25 5.11.3 Risks associated with the project .............................................................................. 26 6 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 27 6.1 GENERAL METHODOLOGIES OF DATA COLLECTION ......................................................... 27 6.2 MAPPING AND LOCATION IDENTIFICATION ...................................................................... 27 6.3 MARINE SURVEY ............................................................................................................... 27 6.4 BATHYMETRIC SURVEY ..................................................................................................... 28 6.5 GROUND WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................ 28 6.6 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION AND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ................................ 29 6.7 DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 29 6.8 REPORT FORMAT ............................................................................................................... 29 7 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 30 7.1 GEOGRAPHIC SETTING ...................................................................................................... 30 7.2 GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 30 7.3 METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ......................................................................................