Shift in Burning Timings: A Possible Strategy to Avoid Detection?

New Delhi: Satellite data has revealed a possible strategy employed by farmers in north-west India and Pakistan to avoid detection by satellite monitoring systems, raising questions over the accuracy of government data on stubble burning.

The Indian government has reported a significant decline in stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana this year, with farm fires dropping from 33,082 in 2023 to 8,404 in 2024. However, satellite data suggests that while fewer fires may be detected, the overall environmental impact remains high.

Senior research scientist at NASA, Hiren Jethva, has raised concern over the apparent inconsistency between the reported decline in stubble burning and the unchanged aerosol levels in the atmosphere. His analysis of geostationary satellite data shows that fire activity appears to shift to the late afternoon, a period after the NASA satellites had passed over.

"We need to take this seriously. The shortwave infrared radiation data and imagery from Korea's Geostationary Satellite (GEO-KOMPSAT-2A) show fire activities concentrated during late afternoon hours past the NASA-NOAA satellite overpass time," Jethva explained in an interview with The Times of India.

Government officials, however, have rejected the theory that farmers are deliberately changing their burning patterns to avoid detection. Professor Adarshpal Vig, Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, emphasized that the data collected by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre captures incidents of stubble burning, including those that occur at night.

"The idea that farmers are avoiding detection is a figment of imagination," said Prof. Vig. "Our data also has fire incidents at night."

Despite these concerns, scientists from Punjab Agricultural University have dismissed claims that farmers are intentionally shifting their burning times. "It seems fewer crop residue burning was reported," a university scientist noted.

The debate over stubble burning in north-west India and Pakistan remains complex, with experts and officials holding differing views on the extent of the problem and the reliability of satellite data.

The issue of crop residue burning has significant environmental implications due to its contribution to air pollution. The concentration of aerosol particles, which contribute to air pollution, has remained largely unchanged over the past six to seven years in Punjab and Haryana.

As experts call for more accurate methods of monitoring, such as using India's geostationary satellites, it is evident that further investigation and improved data collection are crucial for addressing the environmental impact of crop residue burning in the region.