Quality assessment of Tsurang River water affected by coal mining along the Tsurangkong Range, Nagaland, India

Abstract Tsurang, a major river in the Mokokchung district of Nagaland, northeast India, shares great aspects traditional importance for Ao Naga tribes and is part natural commodity providing water to agrarian community irrigation livestock rearing. However, various environment detrimental activities are practiced along course riverbank, particularly coal mining agriculture. The present study was conducted examine seasonal quality index (WQI) Tsurang from three selected sampling stations. Overall, status rated as “Good” winter spring while “Poor” summer autumn. In all seasons, downstream (S3) located at human settlement area presented higher WQI values compared upstream (S1) midstream (S2). parameters such turbidity, DO BOD played central role affecting WQI; although, no significant roles case nutrient elements were observed quality. revealed that deteriorated due other anthropogenic stretch needs be pretreated before consumption. Therefore, proper management strategies conservation efforts should enforced regulated by policymakers protect further contamination.