The Water Hole

Natron Flamingos Still In Danger

Category: Birds, Flamingo, IBAs, Lake Natron, Wetlands, Wildlife | Date: May 06 2008 | By: admin

We may have seen what resembles a lull in the activities relating to the soda ash project at Lake Natron but there is no justification whatsoever for us to take a nap. The Lake Natron Consultative Group (LNCG) has not taken the nap and they literrally have their eyes peeled.

Just today I got an article by the Reuters news agencies which said that they National Development Corporation (NDC) still believes that the project will not harm the flamingos. This, they say, is because they have moved the proposed processing site to some 36 km away from the Lake. I dont know how this would help since the issue of concern for flamingos is the water quality and how it affects the micro-organisms that they feed on. But the NDC says that “By locating the factory away from the lake, we are going to make sure that we can co-exist with the flamingos,”.

The LNCG is very disturbed that Tata and NDC are still planning to go ahead with the project. I think you should read the article for youself. Just follow this link

3 Responses to “Natron Flamingos Still In Danger”

F. J. Pechir, on 06 May 2008

Hi Samuel, Thank you very much for your interest in this conservation issue! Just yesterday a big press conference had been hold at the Hotel Intercontinental in Nairobi, Kenya, about the proposed ash extracting plant in Lake Natron. My BRF and ACWP, both institutions members of the Lake Natron Consultative Group, was represented in the meeting and exposed a lot of scientific material that demonstrates that such a plan in Natron would be disastrous to the environment. Other institutions also members of the LNCG presented their points of view against the construction of any extracting plant not only in the former mentioned place in the lake but in any other location in the area. The press conference was attended by 28 media representatives from national radio and tv, and internationally by Associated Press and Reuters. The results and comments was very favourable to the preservation on the lake, and there is now one more thing in our side: recently, a big quake had registered in the inmmediate area of Lake Natron causing some fear among the locals and the Kenya government in the possibility to future evacuations of the area, because there is a volcan that had initiated its activity and will be the cause of more of this quakes, so any company will want to invest in a project that could be abandoned in any time because of the danger that such natural occurance represent now and in the future. As a member of the Lake Natron Consultative Group, I assure you that we never will cease to fight to protect this magnifficent place. There is a Long way to go ahead, but we at the group are confident in the progress on this matter.

Maina, on 08 May 2008

Thanks FJP. The LNCG is doing great work and they should not stop until we have defeated the forces that threaten this extremely valuable habitat.

Ken Mwathe, on 13 May 2008

Hi All,

Thanks for your interest in the Lake Natron issue. we have recently received very positive media coverage since we conducted an international press conference in Nairobi last week (5th May).

You may want be interested to see the story in The Independent (UK) titled ‘pollution in paradise’ on this link [www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/pollution-in-paradise-flamingos-vs-the-factory-822172.html]

As we go to the next level of advocacy, we are looking for institutions from Asia, Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, West Africa and North Africa to join us in protecting lake natron. So far 32 institutions have said “No” to Tata Chemicals Ltd.

Your institutions can join this growing number - just send an email to the coordinator Ken Mwathe: ken.mwathe@birdlife.or.ke

You can also receive updates on developments around the lake natron issue by sending a request to ken.mwathe@birdlife.or.ke

Many thanks

Ken Mwathe

Coordinator, Lake Natron Consultative Group

Trackback URI | Comments RSS