Influence of stubble burning on air quality of Northern India: a case study of Indo-Gangetic plains of India

Abstract

Stubble burning is an emerging environmental issue in Northern India, which has severe implications for the air quality of the region. Although stubble burning occurs twice during a year, first during April-May and again in October-November due to paddy burning, the effects are severe during October-November months. This is exacerbated by the role of meteorological parameters and presence of inversion conditions in the atmosphere. The deterioration in the atmospheric quality can be attributed to the emissions from stubble burning which can be perceived from the changes observed in land use land cover (LULC) pattern, fire events, and sources of aerosol and gaseous pollutants. In addition, wind speed and wind direction also play a role in changing the concentration of pollutants and particulate matter over a specified area. The present study has been carried out for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh to study the influence of stubble burning on the aerosol load of this region of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). In this study, the aerosol level, smoke plume characteristics, long-range transport of pollutants, and affected areas during October-November from year 2016 to 2020 were examined over the Indo-Gangetic Plains (Northern India) region by the satellite observations. By MODIS-FIRMS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-Fire Information for Resource Management System) observations, it was revealed that there was an increase in stubble burning events with the highest number of events being observed during the year 2016 and then a decrease in the number of events in subsequent years from 2017 to 2020. MODIS observations revealed a strong AOD gradient from west to east. The prevailing north-westerly winds assist the spread of smoke plumes over Northern India during the peak burning season of October to November. The findings of this study might be used to expand on the atmospheric processes that occur over northern India during the post-monsoon season. The pollutant, smoke plume features, and impacted regions of biomass-burning aerosols in this region are critical for weather and climate research, especially given the rising trend in agricultural burning over the previous two decades.