Termite issues worsened due to non-repairs: Construction Ministry

Ministry of Construction has said years of inadequate maintenance by previous administrations were the cause of the worsening termite infestation at Dharubaaruge, where the Ministry of Tourism and Environment is currently operating.

The building became a temporary office for the Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after a fire damaged the Green Building in December last year.

Since the move, concerns have been raised by employees over the deteriorating condition of the facility particularly the spread of termites.

A petition was submitted to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu urging intervention after complaints from staff at Dharubaaruge, which is now housing several ministries.

Responding to questions, a senior official at the Construction Ministry said that termite issues were observed earlier when the Environment Ministry was relocated to the building. The official added that pest control was conducted this year at Rannabandeyri Maalam, the current headquarters of the Construction Ministry.

The official said the maintenance of buildings under the Construction Ministry’s jurisdiction falls under the ministry’s responsibility, and acknowledged the need to address termite infestations. However, the ministry noted it had not received any formal reports of staff suffering health issues or allergic reactions as a result of the infestation.

“Much of the damage we’re seeing now stems from years of neglect,” the official said.

“During the past year, our ministry has carried out several repairs at Dharubaaruge. But the lack of consistent maintenance in previous administrations has made the situation worse.”

The official also noted that while some renovations had been completed recently, they were insufficient to fully address the infestation, and further efforts are required to restore the building to a safe and usable state.

According to the petition, termites often crawl onto employees and their work equipment during office hours. Some employees are reportedly experiencing allergic reactions due to termite bites.

In addition to the infestation, the employees raised complaints about the poor quality of chairs and tables provided in the Dharubaaruge facility, making it difficult to work comfortably causing some employees to seek physiotherapy.

Environment Ministry employees raise concern over termite infestation to President