Tanzania: Soda plant will not harm Flamingos

October 9, 2008: A plan to build a soda ash factory on Lake Natron in Tanzania has been dealt another blow following its rejection by more than 250 scientists.

The scientists who were attending the 12th Pan African Ornithological Congress (PAOC) in South Africa said Lake Natron was a Ramsar site that should be protected.

“This has added more pressure on the Tanzanian government to put aside the project and has increased the level of awareness internationally,” said Mr Ken Mwathe from Birdlife International, one of the environmental groups opposed to the project.

The Ramsar agreement requires countries to seek consensus with other countries on issues which affect shared resources.

Tata chemicals, India’s largest business conglomerate plans to build a factory capable of processing 500,000 tonnes of soda ash annually at the lake.

Along with the plant, the firm which owns majority shares in Magadi Soda Company, plans to construct tarmac access roads, a pipeline to carry soda slurry across the lake and living accommodation for and estimated 1,225 construction workers and 152 permanent staff.

According to the National Development Corporation of Tanzania, Lake Natron brine contains at least eight per cent sodium chloride.

It is supplied by hot springs of volcanic origin and by fumerolic emanations from Ol Donyo Lengai.

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GAME THEORY said:

Mradi huu endelee...na tukimaliza huu tuendelee na ule wa reli toka Moshi kwenda Mwanza tukimaliza tujenge airport ya kisasa kule Bagamoyo, tukimaliza tujenge highways za maana nyanda za juu tukimaliza tujenge Pemba ...yaani sisi tusiwasikilize hawa wendawazimu wanaopenda sana wanyama kuliko Binadamu

Bt the way nadhani kungekuwa na umuhimu wa kupanua ule mradi wa Kamba kule MAFIA

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Paul Sarwatt, Arusha
Daily News; Thursday,December 18, 2008 @20:00
Serikali imesema kuwa itaanza utekelezaji wa mradi wa uvunaji magadi katika Ziwa Natron wilayani Longido mara baada ya kukamilika kwa tathmini athari za mazingira inayofanywa na wataalamu katika mradi huo.

Naibu Waziri wa Fedha na Uchumi Jeremiah Sumari alieleza juzi mjini hapa kuwa mradi huo utakuwa wa manufaa makubwa kwa nchi tofauti na maelezo yanayotolewa na baadhi ya wadau wa mazingira kuwa utaleta madhara.

"Mradi wa kuvuna magadi utaanza kutekelezwa baada ya serikali kupokea ripoti kamili ya wataalamu kuhusu masuala mbalimbali hasa kuhusu mazingira na hatma ya watu wanaoishi kuzunguka eneo hilo" alisema.

Alisema mchakato wa mradi huo umefika mbali na mambo muhimu yatakapokamilishwa wananchi watapewa taarifa kamili kuhusu mwekezaji atakayetekeleza mradi huo.

Alisema mradi huo utasaidia kuongeza mapato ya serikali yatakayotokana na kodi mbalimbali zitakazolipwa na mwekezaji kuanzia Serikali za Mitaa hadi Serikali Kuu na pia wananchi wa eneo hilo watapata ajira za kudumu na wengine ajira za muda zitakazosaidia kubadilisha hali ya maisha ya watu.

Mapema akizungumzia mradi huo wakati wa Kongamano la Uwekezaji lililofanyika wiki iliyopita mjini Arusha Mbunge wa Jimbo la Longido Lekule Laizer alisema kuwa serikali lazima izingatie maslahi ya wananchi wanaoishi katika vijiji vinavyozunguka ziwa hilo.

"Watekelezaji wa mradi pamoja na serikali lazima waangalie kwanza maslahi ya wananchi ambao wengine wanategemea ziwa hilo kuendeshea maisha yao" alisema Laizer.

Mbunge huyo aliongeza kuwa hadi sasa pamoja na mchakato wa kutekeleza mradi huo kuendelea bado wananchi hawajashirikishwa katika jambo lolote hali inayotia mashaka kuhusu hatma ya wananchi wanaoishi katika eneo hilo.

Mradi wa uvunaji magadi katika ziwa hilo unapingwa na baadhi ya wadau wa mazingira wanaodai kuwa ziwa hilo ni makazi na mazalia ya ndege aina ya korongo na kuweka mradi huo kutafanya ndege hao kukosa makazi na pia kuathiri shughuli za utalii.

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