NASA images show large parts of India dotted with fires

In the recent images of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), large parts of India - Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and even some southern states are shown dotted with fires.

While these fires are intensifying heat in tropical summer and cause black carbon (a component of soot with high global warming effect) pollution, agricultural scientists are linking the massive rise in the crop fires in recent years to the farmers' dependency on combine harvesters, that leaves a short stubble behind.

The crop stubble burning is rampant in Haryana and Punjab, however, the practice is not limited to the northern states.

In the NASA maps, states seen with crop fires have a dominant rice-wheat cropping system. But the farmers are choosing for combine harvesters as a mode of a quick and cheap method of harvesting and preparing the soil for paddy.

According to Ridhima Gupta, Indian School of Business (ISB) researcher, who studied the economics of farm fires in Punjab, crop stubble burning accounts for nearly 14 percent of the country's black carbon emissions.

This year, already 10 farmers have been detained for burning wheat stubble that spread fire to nearby farms. Earlier this month, a stubble fire spread on almost 1,500 ha in Harda and Betul districts. Also, a woman in the state lost her life after catching fire on a farm.

Even though the crop residue is stated to be harmful to the soil and environment, the farmers are still continuing the practice.

The Economic Survey 2018 highlights the tremendous increase of the farm mechanization. This year’s Union Budget had allocated Rs 1,140.30 crore on agriculture mechanization hiking the funds from Rs 525 crore in 2017-18.

This is mainly to deal with crop stubble burning in NCR states - Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the practice is one of the major reasons for severe air pollution.