HAFLONG, March 17 � To create awareness among the villagers of Purana Hajong, Nutan Hajong, Nablaidisa, and Drangbathari, surrounding villages of Hajong Lake about the preservation of wildlife and forest, the Maibang Forest Range and Dima Hasao Forest department organised the �Tortoise festival� near Hajong Tortoise Lake 29 km from Maibang on Friday.
The day�s programme began with the offering of puja near the Hajong Tortoise Lake which was followed by the release of hill terrapins in the lake by Bojoyenda Sengyung, EM, DHAC, Mahendra Nunisa, MAC, Hamjanan Langthasa, local MAC and L Hmar, EM, DHAC.
The Hajong lake situated in the Langting � Mupa forest reserve 2 km from the Khepre road, popularly known as the tortoise lake is a natural habitat of the few varieties of hill terrapins, and are considered to be of rare species. Scholars from Bombay Natural Science Society and college students have already visited the place for the study on these hill terrapins. They opined that a concerted way should be evolved by accommodating the villagers and local leaders to save these rare species of terrapins.
The programme was attended by Bojoyenda Sengyung, EM, DHAC, L Hmar, EM, DHAC, Mahendra Nunisa, MAC, Hamjanan Langthasa, MAC, Bikash Brahma, IFS, CCF, Dima Hasao, Nilomani Morol, DFO, Borsing Bey, DFO, JN Hazarika, DFO, Hiranmay Bathari, DFO i/c, East Division, JL Jidung, prominent social activist of Maibang and the Gaon Buras and villagers of surrounding villages of Hajong Lake.
Speaking on the occasion Nilomani Morol, DFO, JN Hazarika, DFO, Bikash Brahma, IFS, CCF, Dima Hasao Mahendra Nunisa, MAC, Hamjanan Langthasa, MAC, and Bojoyenda Sengyung, EM, DHAC stressed on the importance of preservation of wildlife and the forest not only for the present generation but for their next generation to come.