Crop Burning Adding to Delhi Smog, Reveal NASA Images

The air pollution levels continue to spike.

Straw stubble that remains after wheat and other grains have been harvested are set on fire which can be hazardous for the environment. (Photo: iStock)

Red areas show the fire and thermal anomalies (due to burning crop stubble) from different north-western regions from January to 2 November 2016. (Photos: NASA)

Three days after the Diwali festivities ended, the city continues to remain under a thick toxic smog, courtesy the after-effects of fire crackers (sadly, still a norm that many continue to adhere to).

But was that the sole reason contributing to the already bad air quality? According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the pollution from the crackers was to dissipate on 1 November but wind started blowing in from the north-west regions of Punjab, Haryana and other locations.

The emissions from burning crop stubble in these regions added onto the existing pollutants here and has led to an almost catastrophic situation.

Images released by the US space agency NASA also suggest that high levels of ‘fires and thermal anomalies’ from regions of India and Pakistan have greatly impacted the pollution levels.

The National Green Tribunal recently warned the city’s neighbours to curb their large-scale stubble burning.

(With inputs from PTI)