Kampala
22/11/07
 
TANZANIA BOWS TO PRESSURE FROM CONSERVATIONISTS AND DONORS AND DROP LAKE NATRION SODA ASH PLANT PROJECT

By Leo Odera Omolo
 
Reports emerging out of Dar Es Salaam says Tanzania has succumbed to the demands of its neighbours and temporarily halted construction of the controversial multimillion dollar soda ash processing plant at the Lake Natrion.
 
The project was a joint venture between the Tanzania government and India’s Tata Chemicals. Dar in apparent capitulation to pressure from international donors and conservationists vehemently opposed to the project over its likely negative environmental impact.
 
A temporary lifetime has thus been thrown to the one million Lesser Flamingos of Tanzania’s Lake Natrion, threatened by the huge industrial development on their most important breeding site in the world.
 
The Lake Natrion is said to be the only breeding site in East Africa for the birds.
 
The campaign to have the project halted was also mounted by the Birdlife International officials in a concerted effort to have Lesser Flamingos breeding sites in the lake preserved.
 
The organization official Jules Howard said in a recent interview that the private developers have been ordered to produce a new environmental and social impact assessment and consider other sites.
 
Howard said that officials of the organization in Tanzania will advise the Environment Minister Mark Mwandosy on whether to allow the developers to pump more than 100,000 liters of fresh water and 550,000 liters of brine (saltwater) from the area every hour, for the production of soda ash.
 
The decision to halt the construction of the multimillion-dollar soda ash plants in the lake is viewed by the stakeholders as a victory for conservation and the donors could now see the Tanzania government review its earlier ESIA after considering recommendation of the National Environmental Management Council.
 
Homi Khusrokhan, Managing Director of Tata Chemicals Ltd was quoted to have sent a message from his office in Mumbai, India saying that the firm was aware that Lake Natrion project would be either in or close to an ecologically sensitive area and that it has engaged reputable conservation associations before proceeding with the project.
 
He said Tata would also abide by the environment plan to Ramser Wetlands, when the Tanzanian government draws it up.
 
The company will seek the advice of eminent experts in ornithology, such as the Species Survival Commission of IUCN on the Lesser Flamingos, and proceed in accordance with their advice. There will be total transparency in the process,’’ he said.
 
According to Mr. Khusrokhan, Tata has not yet settled on a suitable site for the location of the plant, but has committed to experts that the ultimate location will be at an appropriate distance from the Lake and will be outside Ramser Boundary.
 
The Tanzania government’s decision comes in the wake of protest from international donors, conservationists and neighbouring states who said the proposal was misguided and would harm the environment of the areas.
 
It comes after a meeting of conservation groups, national parks and the European Union (EU), representing donors, where most asked that the development be rejected because of the risk of driving away the flamingos, harming other species and irreversibly damaging Lake Natrion, which is protected by International law.
 
The developer – the Lake Natrion Resources Ltd – earlier planned to build a cool fired power station, road and rail links and housing for 1,200 construction workers at the site, a development that looked seriously to be harmful tourism in three countries – Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia – and cause Lake Ntarion’s International Wetland designation to be withdrawn.
 
But Mr. Bujut Patel a senior communication officer of Tata Chemicals countered these claims by saying that the firm would not introduce brine shrimps into the Lake nor build a pipeline grid within the Lake.
 
The firm said the brine would be drawn through limited extraction points in the Lake depending on hydrology studies.
 
Mr. Patel said the source of fresh water for the plant will not be within the Ramser boundary, but will in all probability be ground water that is extracted at a place away from the lake. There will be no effect on the inflow of fresh water into the lake as a consequence of setting up the project. Additionally, the company is presently sourcing power from the Tanzania grid and ways of minimizing human load in the vicinity of the plant,’’ he said.
 
Lake Natrion Resources Ltd a joint venture firm between the Tanzania government and Tata Chemicals was to develop the USD 400 million-investment project for the extraction of 500,000 tones of soda ash annually.
 
Tata, Which owns majority shares in Kenya’s Magadi soda company also intend to build formal access roads, a pipeline to carry soda quarry across the lake and living quarters for an estimated 1,225 construction workers and 152 permanent staff.
 
On completion, the plant will consume 11.5 Megawatts and use 106,000 liters of fresh water per hour.
 
A recent study by the East African Lake Natrion Consultative Group found that tourists drawn to the region to see lesser Flamingos contributed USD 12 million annually. Tourism to Lake Natrion alone is estimated to be worth USD 500,000 per annum, excluding associated spending and potential ecotourism opportunities.
 
Ends
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