A tortoise

Maibong (North Cachar Hills), Oct. 4: Legend has it that the old tortoises of Hajong Lake are actually a group of cursed humans. Their predicament is destined never to end, but the curse of neglect on their habitat seems to be gradually wearing off.

Nestling in a mist-clad valley in the North Cachar Hills of Assam, Hajong Lake is expected to become a popular tourist destination after the district administration executes a Rs 80-lakh infrastructure development and conservation project in the area.

Apart from its picturesque ambience, the lake is known for its 3,000-odd population of seven rare tortoise species. Some of these reptiles are over a century old and revered by the Dimasa tribe because of the mythical tales about their origins.

?Angry over the misdeeds of some human inhabitants of the area, God cursed them and created the lake. Since then, this has been a sacred place for us. We will provide whatever assistance is required to the authorities to protect this place,? said the headman of a Dimasa village.

The lake is in the middle of the Langtingmupa forest reserve and about 80 km from Halflong town, the headquarters of the North Cachar Hills.

The conservation project envisages steps to ensure flow of water to the lake from natural sources such as springs in the hills. A boundary wall around the lake and a smooth road between the nearest town, Maibong, and Haflong are in the pipeline, too.

North Cachar Hills divisional forest officer Dabiruz Zaman said community participation was imperative to make the project a success.

Tourist department officials believe the lake has the potential to become one of the major tourist destinations of the Northeast if it is maintained well and communication made easier. A tourist bungalow near the lake has been included in the blueprint for the infrastructure development project.

The authorities are, however, worried over the fact that militant activity in the area is still high. ?We are banking on the security forces to keep the militants at bay. Otherwise our efforts will go down the drain,? a tourist department official said.