Haryana satellite farm-fire counts questioned after ground visit in Karnal and Kaithal

Satellite-based monitoring in Haryana, India, shows 89 stubble-burning incidents so far this season, against 206 in the same period last year. A ground visit by The Tribune along the Karnal–Kaithal road found several fields of paddy straw being burned, even though official data on Wednesday evening listed six fires in Kaithal and one in Karnal.

Some farmers believe satellites do not monitor after 6 pm and time their burning accordingly. The Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) denies any mismatch. Its director, Dr Sultan Singh, says the data is public and that farmers know satellite pass times.

Annual totals have fallen from 4,216 in 2021 to 888 in 2024. Kaithal leads this year with 21 incidents. Meanwhile, AQI readings include 394 in Ballabgarh and 363 in Gurugram, both in the "very poor" range.

Why it matters: The report highlights a known limitation of satellite fire detection: overpass timing and revisit gaps can miss short or late-day burns. Practitioners relying on active-fire counts as a policy indicator may need ground validation and complementary data.