📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring
Agriculture
NASA scientist says Punjab-Haryana farm fires vastly under‑reported, 34,000 vs 4,500
✍️ NDTV
🗓 10 Nov 2026, 06:34 AM
👁 15
A NASA researcher has highlighted a huge discrepancy between satellite‑derived fire counts and official figures for crop‑burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana, estimating about 34,000 fires versus the government‑reported 4,500.
Satellite observations analysed by a NASA scientist reveal that the number of farm‑related fire incidents in Punjab and Haryana this season is close to 34,000, far exceeding the 4,500 cases recorded by state authorities. The researcher warned that the official tally, based largely on ground reports, misses a large share of smaller, short‑lived fires that are detectable from space.
The undercount raises concerns for air‑quality monitoring, as crop‑burning contributes significantly to seasonal haze across northern India. Environmental agencies rely on accurate fire data to issue health advisories and to design mitigation strategies, but the gap suggests current reporting mechanisms may be inadequate.
Officials from the Punjab and Haryana governments have been urged to integrate satellite‑derived data into their monitoring systems to improve transparency and response. Meanwhile, the NASA scientist called for greater collaboration between international remote‑sensing teams and local authorities to better track and curb agricultural burning.
The findings, reported by NDTV, underscore the growing role of space‑based technology in India's environmental governance and highlight the need for coordinated action to address the health impacts of farm fires.
The undercount raises concerns for air‑quality monitoring, as crop‑burning contributes significantly to seasonal haze across northern India. Environmental agencies rely on accurate fire data to issue health advisories and to design mitigation strategies, but the gap suggests current reporting mechanisms may be inadequate.
Officials from the Punjab and Haryana governments have been urged to integrate satellite‑derived data into their monitoring systems to improve transparency and response. Meanwhile, the NASA scientist called for greater collaboration between international remote‑sensing teams and local authorities to better track and curb agricultural burning.
The findings, reported by NDTV, underscore the growing role of space‑based technology in India's environmental governance and highlight the need for coordinated action to address the health impacts of farm fires.