A new study by Nagaland University has raised serious environmental concerns over the deteriorating water quality of rivers feeding into Loktak Lake — one of India’s most iconic freshwater ecosystems and a designated Ramsar Site in Manipur. The research confirms that agricultural runoff, human settlements, and shifting cultivation in the Loktak catchment are directly degrading river water quality, with the Nambul and Khuga rivers identified as the most polluted due to high land-use disturbances.

As most Indian cities battle toxic smog in the aftermath of Diwali celebrations, Meghalaya’s capital Shillong has distinguished itself as the cleanest air city in the country, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of just 17, categorized as “good” and posing minimal health risks.