Stubble Burning Time Shift in Punjab–Haryana: ISRO Study
Why in the news
An ISRO study says farm fires in Punjab and Haryana now peak in the evening, so counts based on polar-orbiting satellites may be too low.
Key facts
- Peak burning moved from early afternoon to about 3:30–6 pm (noted since 2022), possibly to evade polar-orbiting passes.
- Used Meteosat Second Generation geostationary satellites (SEVIRI), compared with Suomi NPP, Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS.
- Geostationary satellites sit about 36,000 km up and spot fires every half-hour.
- Published in Current Science, 25 November 2025; undercounting hurts air quality assessments and emission inventories.
Response
- CAQM asked both states for reports on undetected fire spots and punitive action.
- Punjab: 10,500 personnel on round-the-clock watch, a 1,700-strong Parali Protection Force, late-evening patrols, plus CPCB and CAQM flying squads.
- 1,963 FIRs under Section 223, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; ₹1.26 crore compensation.
CAQM 2025 fines per incident
| Landholding | Fine |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 acres | ₹5,000 |
| 2–5 acres | ₹10,000 |
| Above 5 acres | ₹30,000 |
Fire counts (15 Sep–30 Nov)
| State | Earlier | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab | 83,002 (2020) | 5,114 |
| Haryana | 6,987 (2021) | 662 |
Minister Bhupender Yadav cited roughly a 90% fall in both states against 2022.
Exam angle
- Satellite: geostationary MSG; enforcing body: CAQM.