Relevance: UPSC GS-3 (Science & Technology, Environment); Source: ISRO, The Indian Express.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed a modified algorithm to improve the tracking of farm fires. While monitoring has traditionally focused on Paddy (Kharif) burning, this new technology will be pilot-tested during the 2026 Rabi (Wheat) harvest to capture “hidden” fire events that current satellites often miss.

1. Why a New Algorithm?

Existing monitoring relies on NASA’s sun-synchronous satellites (like Terra and Aqua) that pass over India at fixed times (around 1:30 PM). This created gaps that farmers inadvertently or intentionally exploited:

• Time Evasion: A shift in burning time to late afternoon (around 5:00 PM) meant fires occurred after the satellite pass.
• Detection Gaps: Smaller fires or those obscured by haze were often undercounted.
• Accuracy: The tweaked algorithm analyzes “burn scars” and heat anomalies more precisely, providing a high-fidelity map of fires between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

2. Shift to Year-Round Vigil

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has now mandated statutory monitoring for the Wheat (Rabi) season as well.

• Pollution Baseline: Even though wheat stubble produces less smoke than paddy, the cumulative effect maintains a high “pollution baseline” in North India.
• Parali Protection Force: Dedicated district-level teams of police and agriculture officials have been deployed to enforce the ban on open burning.

3. Strategic Stubble Management

The government is promoting a dual strategy to manage crop residue:

• In-situ (On-site): Using machines like the Happy Seeder or Smart Seeder to sow crops directly into the stubble, and applying Pusa Decomposers to melt the straw into manure.
• Ex-situ (Off-site): Collecting straw for use in Biomass Power Plants, making pellets for thermal plants, or producing Biogas under the SATAT scheme.
• Soil Health: Burning 1 tonne of stubble destroys approximately 5.5 kg of Nitrogen, 2.3 kg of Phosphorus, and 25 kg of Potassium. The intense heat also kills essential soil microbes, forcing farmers to use more chemical fertilizers.

UPSC Value Addition Box

Entity / Concept	Explanation
CAQM	A statutory body (est. 2021) with overarching powers over Delhi-NCR and adjoining states to coordinate air quality.
CRM Scheme	Central Sector Scheme providing 50% subsidy to individual farmers and 80% to Custom Hiring Centres for machinery.
Environmental Compensation	Recent rules have doubled the fines for stubble burning, reaching up to ₹30,000 for large landholders.

With reference to crop residue management in India, consider the following statements:

1. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is a statutory body established to coordinate air pollution measures in the NCR and adjoining areas.
2. “Ex-situ” management of stubble refers to the process of mulching or incorporating the residue back into the soil using decomposers.
3. The new ISRO algorithm is designed to address the “detection gap” caused by the timing of satellite overpasses.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3