Mon Nov 18 17:05:07 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Chokes Despite Record Low Stubble Burning: Satellite Data Underreporting Suspected
**New Delhi, November 18, 2024** – Despite a record low in reported stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana, Delhi is grappling with hazardous air quality. Experts are questioning the accuracy of current satellite-based monitoring methods, suggesting a significant underreporting of farm fires.
Data from American satellites Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, which track fires using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), show a drastic decrease in fire counts since 2022. However, researchers argue that these polar-orbiting satellites, which pass over India only once or twice daily, miss fires ignited and extinguished outside their observation window. This is corroborated by data from the GEO-KOMSAT 2A satellite, which provides continuous monitoring and suggests a higher number of fires, particularly in the late afternoon.
Hiren Jethva of Morgan State University points to the lack of change in aerosol levels despite the reported drop in fire counts as evidence of underreporting. While the number of reported fires in Punjab has fallen to a fifth of the 2016 peak, reaching only 8,404 as of November 17th, air quality in Delhi remains severely impacted due to meteorological factors like fog and westerly winds.
Other researchers agree that relying solely on fire counts is insufficient. Nimish Singh of The Energy Resources Institute suggests that future data sets focusing on the extent of burned area will provide a more accurate assessment. He notes that farmers are becoming aware of satellite monitoring schedules, influencing their burning practices.
Professor Sachidanand Tripathi of IIT Kanpur highlights a significant spike in air pollution in eastern Pakistan, indicating a possible cross-border contribution to Delhi’s poor air quality. He stresses the need for improved monitoring to fully understand the situation. The current reliance on satellite data, experts conclude, needs updating to accurately reflect the true scale of stubble burning and its contribution to Delhi’s air pollution crisis.
First Piper 