New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the new stubble-burning hotspots in north India this year. Government data shows that within the first fortnight of October, the states recorded the highest number of fires, leaving the usual suspects—Punjab and Haryana—behind by a huge margin.

Satellite data from the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) managed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) shows that between 1 and 14 October, 158 fires were reported in UP, and 70 in MP. Punjab and Haryana, which have been under scrutiny for years for burning stubble, recorded only 39 and 9 fires respectively, while 26 fires were reported in Rajasthan.

Large-scale paddy stubble burning in north India—primarily concentrated i

See Full Page