New Delhi: Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has asked Punjab and Haryana to procure drones ahead of the winter season to detect stubble burning incidents in real time, complementing the work of ground teams.The move follows a pilot project conducted by CAQM in Patiala district in May, where drone footage was found to be clear enough to identify farm fire locations, an official said. Initially, drones will be deployed only in stubble-burning hotspots across the two states.“The satellite imagery is available only with one-day lag and is limited to two passes a day. Burnt area data is received only once every 15 days, making it unsuitable for immediate enforcement. By the time that data reaches us, the stubble burning incidents in those locations have already ended, with farmers tilting their fields when the teams reach there,” said a senior official. Drones overcome this limitation by providing real-time visuals, allowing field teams to respond instantly and prevent farm fires as they happen, he added.During a review meeting held on June 29, Punjab and Haryana were instructed to develop a comprehensive drone deployment plan for identified hotspot villages prior to the harvesting season. Both states have also been asked to prepare a detailed strategy for Parali Protection Force and late-evening patrolling. The standard operating procedure for deploying the drones, including the number to be procured for each village and district, and frequency of their deployment, is being finalised and expected to be issued soon.“Several farmers are using machinery to remove stubble, but they continue to burn the remaining three-to-four-inch-long stubble residue. There is a perception that the leftover residue contains pesticide, making farmers hesitant to mix it back into the soil. However, through our IEC activities, we will create awareness among farmers,” said the official.During the 2026 rabi harvest season, CAQM issued directions for the first time to states to eliminate farm fires. According to Indian Agricultural Research Institute, which compiled the satellite data on farm fire incidents between April 1 and May 31, Punjab recorded 9,806 fires this year, marginally lower than the 10,207 incidents in the corresponding period last year. In contrast, Haryana recorded 3,398 fires in 2026, a sharp increase from 1,832 in 2025.In comparison with the rabi season, the farm fire counts peak in the upcoming kharif stubble-burning season, which severely impacts Delhi’s air quality. From Sept 15 to Nov 30, Punjab reported 5,114 farm fires last year, down from 10,909 in 2024, while Haryana recorded 662 incidents compared with 1,406.
