ESIA draft report
Riddled with ambiguities
The ESIA draft report underlines conservationists' concerns that the proposed facility will pose environmental risks to lesser flamingos that breed in the lake, because "a single episode of disturbance can cause the whole breeding colony to abandon the nesting site'. Construction of the plant could result in Lake Natron losing its wetland status, and grazing in the area is at its limits, particularly in summers. While conceding that conflict over natural resources among local people already exists, the report indicates that the project will exacerbate the situation and lead to a reduction in livestock numbers. But it is not long on consistency. The following points, among others send out conflicting signals:
Ranks impacts "moderate-minimal'
Ends with this note: "There is no environmental impact that would definitely rule out construction'
Says positive impact of wage-earning opportunities from soda ash project will be minimal
Estimates about 130,000 litres of freshwater required every hour to run plant and for domestic use, but fails to explain where water will come from
Downplays lake's importance to flamingos claiming wrongly it supports 8 per cent of their global population