Delhi Air Pollution: NASA Map Shows Large Number Of Farm Fires In Punjab, Haryana

As Delhi and adjoining areas continue to choke due to the worsening air quality, the fire map by NASA has shown a river of smoke streaming from farm fires in Punjab and Haryana towards the national capital.

The images were taken by Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite on November 11, Nasa informed on its blog.

NASA

¡°Looking at the size of the plume on November 11 and the population density in this area, I would say that a conservative estimate is that at least 22 million people were affected by smoke on this one day,¡± said Pawan Gupta, a Universities Space Research Association (USRA) scientist at Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Centre.

Smoke from crop fires in northern India blanketed Delhi and contributed to soaring levels of air pollution. https://t.co/Pe30imj6xV pic.twitter.com/RyNEmVcbXx

¡ª NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) November 18, 2021

Data higher than last year

As per the data, the cumulative fire count for Punjab till November 16 stood at 74,015, higher than the 72,373 recorded last year.

NASA

However, in the past few weeks, as per local reports, the number of active fires has come down in both Punjab and Haryana.

In Jind, Haryana, there were 1,050 cases of stubble burning reported last year, while the figure is 563 this season.

In Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had on Wednesday announced that all cases lodged against farmers in connection with stubble burning will be quashed.

BCCL

Channi also appealed to farmers to refrain from stubble burning in future as it is hazardous both for the environment as well as human health besides hampering the fertility of the land to an enormous degree.

What SC said

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had taken exception to farmers being blamed for stubble burning amidst the air pollution crisis in the NCR, saying "people sitting in five star facilities in Delhi keep on accusing farmers" without taking note of their plight.

BCCL

The apex court also pointed to 'hi-fi cars" and "gas guzzlers" plying on Delhi roads, saying all affidavits referred to transportation as a pollution source.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said nobody is concerned whether farmers would be able to procure machines for stubble management.

Senior advocate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, said that stubble burning was one of the contributors to the air pollution which needs to be addressed and referred to the Centre's figures on the issue.

AP

Though stubble burning has been a factor in the worsening air quality in Delhi, it is not the only reason.

Emissions from vehicles, construction, bursting of firecrackers, etc also contribute to the poor air quality of Delhi, which is one of the worst in the world.

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