NEW DELHI: Instances of paddy stubble burning have started appearing in parts of Pakistan, and the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, satellite imagery data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) showed. Fumes from the farm fires travelling to Delhi-NCR trigger an annual air pollution crisis every winter.
Scientists and weather officials studying the crop stubble burning pattern warned that this year since monsoon withdrawal has been delayed on account of late September rain in the whole of northwest India, the farm fires may peak around mid-October and coincide with Diwali, which will be celebrated on October 24 this year.
Each year, despite a ban, bursting of firecrackers on Diwali as well as the fumes from stubble burning result in a toxic combination, leading to a massive spike in air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.
“Crop fires have started appearing in satellite observations over part of Pakistan while the region is still very cloudy,” said Pawan Gupta, a research scientist at the Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research, Universities Space Research Association.
NASA’s fire map showed red dots indicating farm fires appearing in the northwest region, including parts of Pakistan, Punjab and Haryana. Most of the dots could be seen over Punjab, including those in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Jalandhar, among others.
The IMD in its Wednesday bulletin said that monsoon is likely to further withdraw from parts of northwest and Central India over the next two to three days. “The line of withdrawal of the southwest monsoon passes through Khajuwala, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Naliya. Conditions are becoming favourable for further withdrawal of southwest monsoon from some more parts of northwest India and some parts of adjoining central India during next 2-3 days,” the bulletin stated.
This monsoon, Delhi-NCR and northwest, including Punjab and Haryana received intense and continuous rain spells during September leaving the soil wet and a large amount of moisture in the atmosphere.
“The incidents of paddy stubble burning are likely to pick up from October first week when the monsoon finally withdraws and farmers are in a hurry to harvest the paddy crop in order to ready the fields to sow the rabi,” said a senior IMD official.