Baa Atoll Council has revealed it will work to eliminate the atoll's reliance on plastic within 10 years.
President of the Baa Atoll Council Ahmed Afrah said successfully eliminating the reliance on plastic will allow islands to receive more benefits from the resorts in the atoll. Afrah highlighted that Baa Atoll is world-renowned for its natural beauty and unique biosphere and said the residents need to be more environmentally conscious and eliminate their use of plastic in order to preserve the natural environment. Eliminating plastic use will allow residents to gain more benefits from the 18 resorts currently in operation in Baa Atoll, he said adding council's plan is in line with the government's decentralisation policy and that councillors are continually in discussions with the government in regard to its work.
Each council is required to formulate a development plan under the Decentralisation Act. As such, island councils are required to formulate their own development plan and submit it to their respective atoll councils, which will also formulate their plan in accordance with the plans of the island councils.
Baa Atoll Council based its 10-year development plan in accordance with the expectations of atoll residents. The plan includes the development of the local fisheries industry, tourism, and the distribution of the income received by the atoll council from the lease of local land.