📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, usi
Agriculture
77% of Haryana Farmers Burn Stubble in Evenings to Dodge Satellite Monitoring
✍️ Business Standard
🗓 29 Oct 2026, 01:48 AM
👁 10
A Business Standard survey reveals that three‑quarters of Haryana’s farmers admit to burning crop residue in the evenings to avoid detection by satellite monitoring systems.
A recent Business Standard report based on a farmer survey indicates that 77% of cultivators in Haryana openly acknowledge burning crop residue during evening hours to evade satellite observation. The respondents said timing the burn after sunset reduces the likelihood of being captured by remote‑sensing tools that track agricultural fires.
Stubble burning has long been a seasonal challenge in the state, contributing to haze and prompting periodic government advisories. Satellite platforms are increasingly used to monitor such activities, providing real‑time data for enforcement agencies.
The finding highlights the difficulty of curbing the practice despite existing bans and the availability of alternative residue‑management options. Authorities may need to strengthen outreach and incentives if compliance is to improve.
Experts note that evening burns, while harder for satellites to detect, still release pollutants that affect air quality across the region, underscoring the environmental stakes of the issue.
Stubble burning has long been a seasonal challenge in the state, contributing to haze and prompting periodic government advisories. Satellite platforms are increasingly used to monitor such activities, providing real‑time data for enforcement agencies.
The finding highlights the difficulty of curbing the practice despite existing bans and the availability of alternative residue‑management options. Authorities may need to strengthen outreach and incentives if compliance is to improve.
Experts note that evening burns, while harder for satellites to detect, still release pollutants that affect air quality across the region, underscoring the environmental stakes of the issue.