ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE RESIDING IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE LOKTAK LAKE, MANIPUR, INDIAJOGESH LAISHRAMAbstract The present study was conducted in the periphery of the Loktak by interviewing with 300 selected respondents using purposive sampling technique to assess the environmental issues of the Loktak lake and its surrounding areas and also to assess the environmental consciousness of the people living in and around the lake. All (100%) respondents reported the natural resources of Loktak lake is declining and most of them (28.33%) felt that the decline of the natural resources of Loktak lake was found to be pollution of the lake water. In the overall percentage of major environmental issues of the areas or villages in and around the Loktak lake water pollution (37%) was highest. The study found that the highest percentage in terms of the level of environmental consciousness people had was âAverageâ (87.33%). Improvement of education, organizing effective awareness programmes for the conservation and sustainable management of the Loktak lake and its surrounding environment, seeking alternative means of livelihoods are suggested. |