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Disputed Farm Fire Counting Method
Context:
India is planning to change how it tracks farm fires, a significant contributor to severe air pollution in northern regions, by monitoring the burnt areas left behind rather than relying solely on orbiting satellites to detect live fires.
Why Do Farmers Burn Stubble?
- Instant Solution: Farmers in India often resort to burning crop waste, despite laws prohibiting the practice, to quickly clear fields of paddy stubble and prepare for the next wheat planting season.
- High Costs: While the government provides subsidies for harvesting machines as an alternative, adoption has been limited due to their high costs or the long waiting time for rentals.
How Are Farm Fires Monitored Currently?
- India relies on satellites to monitor farm fires across large areas.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) procures data from two NASA satellites, which pass over the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, and others twice daily, at approximately 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM local time.
- These satellites capture instances of visible fires during their brief 90-second window over the region.
- This data is then shared with the government for tracking purposes.
Limitations of the Current Method
- The NASA satellites only detect fires during their narrow observation period, capturing those ignited within the preceding 30 minutes.
- Over time, experts suspect farmers have adjusted the timing of their fires to evade detection.
Why Is the Method Being Questioned?
- The accuracy of satellite data has come under scrutiny following observations of discrepancies.
- A Supreme Court adviser monitoring pollution in the National Capital Region noted that a South Korean stationary satellite had detected farm fires at 4:20 PM, long after NASA’s satellites had left the area.
Proposed Alternatives
- The Supreme Court directed the government to explore data from stationary satellites, which offer continuous monitoring.
- However, the government argued that such data is “sub-optimal.”
- Instead, ISRO is developing a method to estimate farm fires by analysing the burnt areas they leave behind, potentially offering a more comprehensive and reliable approach.
