Why are farmers in Punjab and Haryana burning stubble in the evening?

Farmers are burning stubble in the late afternoon and evening to evade detection by satellite monitoring systems.

How has satellite monitoring of stubble burning changed?

Current monitoring systems rely on satellites that pass over India only between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, missing fires ignited later in the day.

What is the impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air quality?

Stubble burning smoke from Punjab and Haryana contributes significantly to Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution, especially during peak seasons.

Home / Environment / Farmers Outsmart Satellites: Stubble Burning Evades Detection

Farmers Outsmart Satellites: Stubble Burning Evades Detection

9 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Farmers shift stubble burning to late afternoons and evenings.
India's current monitoring systems capture only a fraction of fires.
Total burnt area in Punjab and Haryana has declined significantly.

Farmers Outsmart Satellites: Stubble Burning Evades Detection

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana are strategically shifting stubble burning activities to late afternoon and evening hours, effectively evading satellite detection systems. This new tactic has emerged despite a significant reduction in the overall burnt area, which has declined by 25% to 35% in recent years.

The current monitoring protocol, relying on polar-orbiting satellites with limited observation windows between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, is failing to capture the majority of fires. In Punjab, over 90% of large farm fires in 2024 and 2025 occurred after 3 pm, a stark contrast to previous years, while Haryana has seen this trend since 2019.

This discrepancy leads to a massive underestimation of fires, emissions, and their contribution to air pollution, particularly in Delhi. Experts urge an urgent overhaul of the monitoring system, advocating for the integration of geostationary data and burnt-area mapping to ensure accurate measurement and effective policy-making.