Study: Satellites Miss 90%+ Punjab-Haryana Farm Fires, Skewing Pollution Data

• A new iFOREST study reveals satellites miss over 90% of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana due to fires occurring after monitoring windows.
• Farmers have shifted stubble burning to late afternoon/evening, causing "large-scale undercounting" by official monitoring systems like CREAMS.
• Official data showing significant declines in farm fires is misleading, as it reflects missed detections rather than actual reductions.
• Burnt-area mapping, a more reliable method, shows a 35% reduction in Punjab's burnt area, far less than the 80-90% suggested by official active fire counts.
• The study recommends modernizing the monitoring system, integrating burnt-area mapping, and using geostationary satellites for accurate data.

Why It Matters: Flawed satellite data hides true air pollution, undermining policy.