HAFLONG, March 30 – Jatinga village of NC Hills, 9 km from Haflong, the district headquarters with a population of only 2000 souls has failed to be blessed by the seeds of development. The story of Jatinga village goes back to the year 1902, when the founder father of Jatinga village U Lakhon Bang Suchiang of Gunapara village near Borkhola came in contact with some Khasi labourers working on the construction of new railway line in between Badarpur and Lumding. They used to visit Borkhola market, then a prosperous foothill market where the tribals like Nagas, Kacharis, Kukis etc frequently came down to purchase agricultural equipment.
During such a meeting Lakhon Bang was told about the vast virgin forests near Haflong. Lakhon was searching for a place to cultivate paan vines as the vines at Gunapara were fast dying due to an unknown disease. In the year 1901, Lakhon Bang decided to pay a visit to Boro Haflong.
At the first Lakhon Bang was refused permission from the SDO, Haflong but was advised to teach the Nagas, the method of paan cultivation. As there were none in the village except two families, they decided to take it up. Then he planted 1000 saplings of them and for him in a trial basis. But after one year seeing the encouraging growth and after being requested by the Nagas, he repeatedly approached the SDO, Haflong and ultimately in the year 1905, Lakhon Bang succeeded in getting the permission to settle and to plant paan vines at Jatinga.
The name ‘Jatinga’ is derivedfrom the Naga language which means pathway of rain and wind. The village was first established at a place located near a small stream flowing between the present Jatinga tiniali and Dolong river. As the place was not healthy, the village was then shifted to present place in 1910. In the year 1914, Lakhon Bang obtained another permission to plant oranges when paan cultivation was not possible. Jatinga flourished along with the increase in orange production. Depending on the production of oranges and pineapples at Jatinga a fruit preservation unit was also established at Bora Haflong but the unit is now on the verge of closure following the drastic decline of production. Thus the economic condition of the villagers came down alarmingly as they were solely dependent on horticulture.
There is a village guest house which was built and dedicated by the founder father of Jatinga to the officers, missionaries and others is now owned by Smt S Suchiang as her heritage. From the register of the guest house is learnt that many visitors admitted the laudable co-operation and hearty services of the villagers.
H Rupsi, retired principal, Govt Boys’ HS School, Haflong, who was the gaon burah of Jatinga for the last 20 years sharing his past glorious memories of Jatinga with this correspondent, said “Jatinga did not get that much attention which was needed to. Jatinga people are hard working, honest and above all self-reliant. But with the decline of orange production, plight of Jatinga people mounted up alarmingly.”
Rupsi disclosed that a good number of men have left Jatinga in search of source of earning in Meghalaya even as stall boy. He suggested that for the economic development and oil extraction from bay leaf, which is abundant in Jatinga could be taken into consideration. He further said once one M Suchiang of Jatinga was very much interested to lease out his land to the Tourism department in exchange of his daughter’s service in the tourism department but nothing has been done so far till the date. People say that some other things were also established in the name of tourism at Jatinga long back but for the lack of attentiveness and willingness of the authority concerned all remained in the pages of past history. Recently, there were news of tourism promotion at Jatinga by the district administration, NC Hills to increase job opportunities for the Jatinga people, but the people of NC Hills have requested the authority to be sincere and practical to this venture, otherwise the people would lose confidence on administration totally.