Centre issues instructions for states to monitor stubble burning after 3pm

The Centre and states were instructed to monitor fields after 3 pm because satellite systems may miss fires started later in the day. This matters because falling satellite-based fire counts may not reflect the actual number of fires on the ground. Farmers are reportedly adjusting burning times to evade detection.

The article identifies a satellite monitoring gap after 3 pm. Polar-orbiting satellites usually capture crop-burning incidents between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Officials therefore want district collectors to assess fields directly, while ground patrols and flying squads check for fires. Drone operations are also planned from preferably 3 pm to 9 pm.

The instructions focus on districts in Punjab and Haryana where harvesting trends need close assessment. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said monitoring must not rely only on satellite data. Shivraj Singh Chouhan urged states to act quickly, provide residue machines, and enforce rules more effectively.

Stubble burning is the deliberate setting of leftover stalks, straw, and other crop residue on fire after harvesting. It clears a field quickly and can help farmers prepare for the next crop within a short window. The practice becomes a public concern because smoke from many fires can worsen air pollution.

The article says farmers are burning residue later in the day, sometimes after 3 pm, to avoid satellite detection. This timing does not change what stubble burning is. It changes how easily authorities can count and respond to incidents. District officials are being asked to check fields directly rather than trust satellite counts alone.

The Centre wants farmers to receive easy, accessible, and affordable alternatives. Shivraj Singh Chouhan specifically called for crop-residue machines to reach farmers quickly. Better access to such equipment could reduce reliance on fire, while enforcement and real-time monitoring address deliberate burning.

The reported change is uneven across northern India. Between September 15 and October 12, stubble-burning incidents fell 53.3% in Haryana and around 32% in Uttar Pradesh compared with last year. Punjab also recorded a marginal decline. These figures suggest progress, but they may not show every fire.

The article identifies Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as major concerns because both had high numbers of cases. It does not provide exact percentage increases for either state. Instead, officials asked them to identify affected districts and villages and immediately introduce special action plans. Haryana’s decline was the largest quantified reduction mentioned.

The Centre is treating reported numbers cautiously because farmers may burn fields after satellites have passed overhead. Ground assessments, drones, patrols, and flying squads are intended to improve the count. Linking information with CAQM and CPCB could also make comparisons and responses more effective in future seasons.

Polar-orbiting satellites detect farm fires by capturing crop-burning incidents during scheduled overpasses. The article states that India’s satellites typically observe these fires between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Their images provide a broad, repeated way to estimate where burning is happening across agricultural areas.

The problem is timing. Once the satellites complete their overpasses, a fire started later may not appear in that day’s observations. The article calls the period after 3 pm a satellite monitoring gap window. Studies found that fires increasingly occurred after this time, with an ISRO study reporting peak activity around 5 pm in 2024.

This creates a difference between reported fires and actual fires. Authorities are responding with ground patrols, flying squads, and drones, preferably from 3 pm to 9 pm. Combining satellite, drone, and field evidence should produce a more accurate picture of burning.

When many fields burn around the same time, their smoke can add to pollution across northern India and the National Capital Region. Fine particles and other pollutants in the smoke can reduce air quality and create unhealthy conditions. The article connects stubble-burning data with forecasts of pollution levels in the NCR.

The impact depends on how much residue burns and where the smoke travels. Crop harvesting schedules can create clusters of fires, while wind can carry smoke toward populated areas. Weather also affects whether smoke disperses or remains concentrated near the ground. The article specifically calls for monitoring meteorological conditions affecting NCR air pollution.

Officials want CAQM and CPCB to receive linked fire data so action can be better timed. Forecasts of likely harvest periods could identify upcoming risk. Drones, patrols, and enforcement may reduce the number of fires, limiting smoke before it contributes to broader regional pollution.

The main alternative highlighted is providing crop-residue machines to farmers. Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked states to supply them at the earliest and make alternatives easy, accessible, and affordable. Such equipment can help farmers manage leftover residue without setting fields ablaze, especially during the short period between harvests.

Enforcement also needs to match the changing pattern of fires. Satellites usually observe between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, while studies found more fires after 3 pm. Drones can record incidents in real time during the 3 pm to 9 pm period. Ground patrols and flying squads can inspect fields and respond when satellite coverage is incomplete.

States have begun using drones for the first time, under a CAQM operating procedure for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Machines address the practical reason for burning. Drones and field teams improve detection, making enforcement more credible and complete.

Weather determines whether smoke spreads away or builds up near the ground. Wind can carry emissions from many fields toward northern cities and the National Capital Region. Atmospheric mixing can lift and disperse smoke, while weak mixing can keep pollution concentrated. These processes decide whether separate farm fires become a regional pollution episode.

Harvest schedules matter because many fires can occur together when farmers clear fields before the next crop. The article asks officials to forecast likely harvest times in coming days. It also calls for monitoring meteorological conditions that affect air pollution levels in the NCR, allowing authorities to anticipate periods of greater risk.

The article does not provide a detailed weather forecast or specific wind measurements. It does show how officials plan to connect fire data with CAQM and CPCB information. Better timing, early warnings, and rapid enforcement could reduce burning before smoke accumulates or travels across state borders.