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CAPITAL GASPS: Stubble burning - Punjab sees 12 times rise in a week

On October 14, ISRO's remote sensing data recorded only 68 active agriculture fires in Punjab and 141 in Haryana. But, on Monday, 828 fires were detected with 207 in Amritsar district alone, 140 in Firozpur, 73 in Muktsar and 67 in Patiala.

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Delhi's air quality has hovered in the 'very poor' category last week and going by satellite images and data, it is likely to remain that way and may even get worse as farm fires in Punjab and Haryana have steadily increased ahead of Delhi, satellite data and images shows.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's Bhuvan remote sensing application has recorded the steady increase in fires and satellite images of The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), US, have captured the rising fires on its FIRMS Fire Maps.

On October 14, ISRO's remote sensing data recorded only 68 active agriculture fires in Punjab and 141 in Haryana. But, on Monday, 828 fires were detected with 207 in Amritsar district alone, 140 in Firozpur, 73 in Muktsar and 67 in Patiala. In Haryana, the fires seemed to have reduced momentarily as only 150 were detected on Monday. However, 326 fires were detected in Haryana on October 17 and 340 on October 18. On the same days, Punjab saw 359 and 343 fires respectively. NASA images also capture large number of farm fires in the Punjab province of Pakistan, especially in Sahiwal, Gujranwala and Lahore.

NASA satellite images show that paddy straw burning began on a low-scale in the first week of October and over the past three weeks has been concentrated in the districts of Amritsar, Firozpur, Patiala, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Karnal. A large number of fires have also been detected in Pilibhit district and Mathura near Delhi-NCR, in Uttar Pradesh.

"Basmati rice is largely grown in Amritsar, Firozpur and neighbouring districts and they are harvested earlier. That may be the reason the fires are concentrate in thar region. But, we are seeing a reduction in the number of fires compared to previous years due to the distribution of subsidized stubble management machinery," said Jasbir Singh Bains, Director of Agriculture, Punjab. He added, "Backed and egged on some unions, farmers are still burning fields demanding Rs.200 per quintal compensation. But we are positive that there will be fewer fires this year."

Meteorologists said that currently, moderate winds from the Northwest were helping Delhi's air quality. On Monday, the city recorded wind speed of 15km/hour but, in the coming days the direction is going to be easterly

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