The Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA) has imposed a fine of MVR 550,000 on Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) for cutting trees and removing vegetation within a protected area in HA. Baarah.

The authority explained that the incident occurred in 2023 during a Corporate Social Responsibility project conducted by MTCC at the request of the Baarah Island Council. The work involved road clearing and widening activities in wetland and marshland areas on the island.

ERA stated that MTCC violated two environmental regulations, resulting in the penalties:

- MVR 500,000 under the Regulation on Protected Areas

- MVR 50,000 under the Regulation on the Protection and Preservation of Island Vegetation

MTCC has been instructed to pay the total fine through the Bandeyri Portal within one month.

Additionally, the authority mentioned that it had previously advised the Baarah Island Council to ensure that no vegetation was removed from protected zones or coastal greenery during the project. The council, however, failed to report the activities carried out by MTCC. ERA characterized this failure to report as negligence and issued a warning to the council to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.