President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the Third Amendment to the Environment Protection and Preservation Act (1993/4).
The amendment was passed by the Parliament at the 39th sitting of its third session, on 16th November 2021.
The new amendment provides that the provision of specified services among the services provided by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology will be delegated to the respective administrative divisions belonging to the atoll, island or city.
The amendment also stipulates that the procedures to be followed in the provision of the services delegated to the councils by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology must be specified in the regulations pertaining to the Act. The ministry and relevant institutions shall provide funds, resources and assistance required by the councils in providing the services and the regulation made pursuant to this Act shall specify the manner in which the assistance will be provided.
The regulations pertaining to the amendment must be drafted or amended and published in the government gazette within 6 months of the amendment coming into force.
Following ratification, the Bill has been published in the Government Gazette and has come into effect.