To check the menace of stubble-burning in Haryana, the Hisar-based Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) has begun examining satellite data and observed about 4,300 major crop fire points in the entire State.
“The satellite data is examined to provide crop fire points on day-to-day basis to facilitate prompt action at the ground level in the State. Crop fire alert system has been made operational during the current season in the State,” said Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Haryana.
So far, the satellite data has recorded more than 600 crop burning points in Karnal district followed by 534 in Sonepat, 501 in Jind, 335 in Sirsa, 324 in Fatehabad, 319 in Panipat, 267 in Kaithal, 256 in Rohtak, 240 in Hisar and 211 in Jhajjar during the current harvesting season.
In Ambala, Bhiwani and Kurukshetra districts, crop burning has been reported at about 100-200 locations each, whereas in rest of the districts, the burning took place at less than 100 locations each during the current season.
Major crop burning, on an average at more than 100 locations in the State, was observed between March 24 to April 14 this year. In a single day, the crop was set ablaze at maximum 658 and 602 locations in the State on May 2 and 5, said Khemka.
Khemka said the HARSAC scientists started observing active fire locations in all districts from the beginning of the harvesting season in the second week of April. During the current harvesting season, the HARSAC has observed about 4,300 major crop fire points in the entire State.
It is much less than about 13,000 active fire points recorded during the paddy harvesting season using the same technology, he said.
The menace is much severe during the Kharif season compared to Rabi season as contrary to wheat straw, paddy straw is not palatable to the cattle and hence is set ablaze. Crop stubble burning in both Rabi and Kharif seasons has emerged as a menace in this region, causing server environmental problems.
About the crop fire alert system, he said that the crop fire locations being received through the satellite on daily basis are being sent directly to various officers at the state and district level through SMS alert to initiate immediate action. The crop fire map indicates the fire location and by clicking at the location, it will indicate the latitude and longitudes of the point to enable the enforcement agencies to reach the exact location, Khemka said.
He said the HARSAC was using data available from MODIS and Suomi satellites of USA through NRSC, ISRO, Hyderabad to identify active fire points on daily basis. Though the State Government had made stubble-burning a punishable offence, yet, for want of timely information, the conviction rate was very poor, he said.
Though it is a course resolution data, yet because of its daily repeat cycle, it can indicate major fire points on daily basis. As spatial resolution of these satellite sensors in about 250x250 m, it can’t capture crop burning site less than 6.25 ha. Therefore, the actual crop burning sites could be much more than observed as the fire in smaller fields is not discernible with these sensors, said he added.