Source: IE
Context:
A new ISRO study has revealed that peak stubble-burning activity in Punjab and Haryana has shifted from early afternoon to early evening between 2020 and 2024, resulting in possible underestimation of farm-fire incidents by government data that rely mainly on polar-orbiting satellites.
Key Findings from the ISRO Study
- Satellites Used:
- Geostationary: Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites with SEVIRI instrument.
- Polar-Orbiting (for comparison): NOAA’s Suomi NPP, NASA’s Terra MODIS, Aqua MODIS.
- Significance of Geostationary Satellites:
- Orbit at ~36,000 km above equator, constantly monitoring the same region.
- Can detect fire events every half-hour, capturing altered burning times.
- Shift in Burning Practices:
- Peak burning moved from early afternoon to late afternoon/early evening (3:30–6 pm) since 2022.
- Shift likely aimed at avoiding detection by polar-orbiting satellites, which monitor fields only at fixed times.
- Implications:
- Possible undercounting of fire incidents in official records.
- Affects air quality assessments, emission inventories, and mitigation strategies.
- Publication: “Evidence of shift in stubble burning timing over northwest India from geostationary satellite observations,” Current Science, November 25, 2025.
Government Monitoring and Enforcement
- CAQM Actions:
- Communicated to Punjab and Haryana for effective elimination of stubble-burning.
- Requested reports on undetected fire locations, stocktaking methods, and punitive measures.
- State-Level Measures:
- Punjab deployed 10,500 personnel for round-the-clock monitoring.
- Supplemented by flying squads from CPCB and CAQM.
- Created a 1,700-member Parali Protection Force to identify fires escaping satellite detection.
- Late-evening patrols to catch farmers burning stubble at night.
- Penalties for Violations (CAQM 2025):
- Small landholders (≤2 acres): ₹5,000 per incident
- Medium landholders (2–5 acres): ₹10,000 per incident
- Large landholders (>5 acres): ₹30,000 per incident
- FIRs and Compensation:
- 1,963 FIRs registered under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- Environmental compensation imposed: ₹1.26 crore.
Impact on Farm-Fire Incidence
- Punjab (Sep 15–Nov 30):
- 2020: 83,002 incidents → 2025: 5,114 incidents
- Haryana (Sep 15–Nov 30):
- 2021: 6,987 incidents → 2025: 662 incidents
- Government Statement: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reported ~90% reduction in fire incidences in Punjab and Haryana compared to 2022.
