<h2 class="blog-hed2 pb-lg-4 pb-3 text-lg-left">Controversy Maafaru International Airport</h2>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>Destruction of endangered turtle nesting grounds</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">The airport was built in an area that was a major nesting ground for endangered turtles as Maafaru has had a long history of being a popular nesting ground endangered turtles.</p>
<p class="blog-para">On 9 April 2019, a green sea turtle that had come to Maafaru to lay its eggs, found the newly constructed runway of a brand new airport instead, and ended up laying her eggs on the tarmac. The turtle later died from the injuries.</p>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>Illegal export of coconut palms</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">The Maldives Customs Service stopped the illegal export of coconut palm trees from the Maafaru island uprooted as a direct result of the airport project. Maafaru islanders alerted customs after the Environment Protection Agency stopped the illegal uprooting of trees from the island.</p>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>EPA halts airport expansion project</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">On 29 December 2019, the Maldivian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) halted the expansion project and rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment, giving the following reasons as justification in their report.</p>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>Fraud and corruption allegations</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">The contractor for the project, Singaporean company Tuff Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. is facing multiple allegations including failing to pay their subcontractors, using deception and sham projects to win the bid, violations of contract, and inflated costs. As a result, the project was under audit from the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Maldives. According to rumors, Regional Airports Director General Saamee Ageel is also accused of owning a private yacht which is currently being investigated by the Asset Recovery Commission of the Office of the President. Anti-Corruption Commission requested that the Regional Airports Deputy Director General Ahmed Mahreen be suspended. Anti-Corruption Commission also requested that payment to contractors for the Maafaru International Airport be suspended.</p>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>Public opposition to the project</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">There is online opposition to the expansion project including by the Maldivian environmentalist organisation SaveMaldives. The hashtag #SaveMaafaru has been used in regard to this opposition.</p>
<p class="blog-para"><strong>Facilities Maafaru International Airport</strong></p>
<p class="blog-para">The airport is at an elevation of 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) above mean sea level. It has one runway which is 2,200 metres (7,218 ft) in length and 40 metres (131 ft) wide. The airport can accommodate six jets at any one time. The airport includes a passenger terminal and a VIP lounge, and is managed and maintained by the national airline Maldivian.</p>
<p><img class="img-fluid p-lg-0 rounded w-100" title="Maafaru International Airport" src="../../main/img/airport/maa/1.webp" alt="Maafaru International Airport " width="950px" height="500px"></p>