The mass burning of agricultural stubble in Punjab - a key driver of toxic air across the Indo-Gangetic plains and especially the NCR - returns to debate every year. While state governments claim that farm-fire incidents are falling, a new iFOREST study, echoed by an NDTV independent investigation last year, reveals a significant undercount of these fires.
Why? Because farmers are burning stubble after 3 pm, when no satellites are passing overhead. With nearly 90% of large fires taking place during this "blind window," the official data dramatically underreports the actual scale of burning. This "hidden fire zone" may be a major reason behind severe pollution spikes and worsening smog levels despite lower reported fire numbers.
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A new study published in Science has challenged this view, suggesting the genetic contribution might be considerably higher.
Several parts of the national capital woke up to dense fog on Monday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the moderate to poor categories according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
India's fight against toxic air just took a hit. The 2026-27 Budget allocated only Rs 1,091 crore to pollution control - down from Rs 1,300 crore last year.
Several parts of Delhi and the wider National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed light rain during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a drop in the maximum temperature for today.
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