Farm fires in Punjab and Haryana may be vastly undercounted, report says
New estimates suggest up to 34,000 fires occurred in the two states, significantly higher than official figures.
New estimates indicate that farm fires in Punjab and Haryana may be significantly higher than official counts, according to a Hindustan Times analysis of satellite and weather data. While government agencies recorded 4,459 incidents in Punjab up to November 8, NASA scientist Dr Hiren Jethva estimated that closer to 34,000 fires likely occurred across both states between October 1 and November 9.
Dr Jethva, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said the discrepancy is likely due to the timing of the fires. He noted that farmers have shifted the hours they set crop residue on fire, making them harder for traditional satellites to detect. Using an empirical calculation with various satellites, he described the 34,000 figure as a conservative estimate.
The Hindustan Times report noted that the INSAT-3DS weather satellite detected almost no farm fires in the two states until October 29. The count then rose daily, reaching 447 on Diwali, November 8. A CAQM official stated that fields are being set on fire later in the day, which causes counts beyond 4 pm to be missed.
In Punjab, Tarn Taran recorded the most incidents with 654, while Ferozepur had 592, Sangrur had 488, and Bathinda had 406. Authorities have imposed environmental compensation of Rs 62.55 lakh in 1,228 cases, recovering Rs 32.60 lakh so far.
Weather models forecast that north-westerly winds, which carry smoke toward Delhi, are expected to return on Wednesday and Thursday. These winds could bring air from the fire belt back to the capital.