Are farmers evading satellites with 5pm trick?: Report
What's the story
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have reportedly been delaying the timing of farm fires to avoid detection by monitoring satellites. This revelation comes as a study conducted by researchers from the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) has found that peak fire activity has shifted from 1:30pm Indian Standard Time (IST) in 2020 to 5:00pm IST in 2024. The shift is believed to be an attempt by farmers to evade detection by polar-orbiting satellites, which only scan areas twice a day.
Expert agreement
NASA researcher corroborates ISRO findings on stubble burning
Hiren Jethva, a NASA researcher at the Goddard Space Flight Center, has also supported these findings. He said that while satellite-detected fire incidents have decreased, air pollutants have remained unchanged. "A 15-year record of smoke aerosol loading puts 2025 as the third-worst year after 2019 and 2024," he added. This contradicts the claims of the respective state governments of Punjab and Haryana that there has been a major reduction in farm fires.
Data discrepancy
The government's data sources may underestimate carbon emissions
The Indian government has been relying on data from sun-synchronous polar-orbiting satellites, which may be underestimating active fire events during October-November in Punjab and Haryana. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told the Lok Sabha that there has been a 90% reduction in farm fire incidents in these states compared to 2022. However, this claim is disputed by both ISRO and NASA researchers who say farmers are changing their practices to evade detection.
Investigation findings
Ground investigation reveals farmers' tactics to avoid satellite detection
An India Today TV ground investigation corroborated these findings, with local officials admitting to advising farmers on how to avoid detection. Vipin, a land records officer, admitted he advised farmers to burn stubble after 4:00pm to avoid satellite detection. Amarjeet Singh, an agricultural officer in Sangrur, was quoted as saying, "Satellites pass twice a day...Farmers know this and burn stubble after 4:00pm to avoid detection."
Ineffective measures
Government's measures to curb stubble burning may be ineffective
Despite the government's efforts, including State and District-specific Action Plans and crop residue management machinery, farmers continue to evade detection by delaying peak fire activity. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change claimed a significant reduction in farm fires due to these efforts. However, this is contradicted by data from geostationary satellites like GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, which show stable or increased fire activity in Punjab for 2025 compared to previous years.