To protect the environment of the beautiful Lugu Lake – traveler's paradise, the lakeside village of Lige was recently moved 80 meters inland from the lake and equipped with a waste-processing system.

Located in the mountains of southeastern China's Yunnan province, Lugu Lake is famous for its fascinating natural beauty and enchanting local Mosuo culture. The Mosuo people have a tradition of living by the lake--the closer, the better.

However, ever since the lake was transformed into a tourism hotspot in recent years, the harmony between humans and nature was disrupted by visiting crowds.

Hostels, restaurants and bars were built in Lige village and large quantities of waste generated by the tourists were directly discharged into the lake. "In the past, we drank water directly from the lake, but now, we can only use the lake water to wash our clothes," said Binma, a local Mosuo girl.

To save Lugu Lake from severe pollution, a plan to move Lige village away from the lake was made in 2005 by local authorities. Now, the village has been successfully relocated to the new spot with the same layout and ethnic style as before. In addition, a waste-processing system has been installed in the village to minimize pollution.

(China.org.cn, CRIENGLISH.COM October 14, 2006)