Delhi pollution: Smoke intrusion from farm fires in Oct-Nov lowest in four years, says CSE
New Delhi, (PTI): Not only have the number of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana this season been the lowest since 2016, the national capital also witnessed the least smoke intrusion from stubble burning during October-November in four years, according to a Centre for Science and Environment analysis.
Analysis of data from SAFAR, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecasting agency, shows that smoke from farm fires contributed to PM2.5 pollution in Delhi on 53 days this year, starting October 12.
The figure is lower than the previous three years when smoke intrusion was reported on 56-57 days but higher than the 2018 reading of 48 days.
The highest contribution this year was 34 per cent on November 3. Last year, the share of farm fires in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution peaked to 48 per cent on November 7.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said stubble burning-related smokefall over Delhi depended on two major factors -- the number and intensity of farm fires and meteorological conditions conducive for the transportation of the smoke to the national capital.
This October-November, not only have the quantity and intensity of farm fires been comparatively lower but also the meteorological conditions less conducive for transport of the smoke, the green think tank said.
The CSE estimated that smoke from farm fires accounted for 4.1 tonnes of PM2.5 during October-November in Delhi. This is 37 per cent lower than 6.4 tonnes of PM2.5 from stubble burning last year and almost half the 2020 figure (8 tonnes).
The volume this year is also significantly lower than the 2019 figure (6.4 tonnes) -- an indicator of the meteorological help Delhi got as there were fewer farm fires in 2019.
According to the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Punjab, which accounts for the maximum cases of stubble burning every year, reported just 49,922 farm fires this season (September 15 to November 30) against 71,304 last year and 83,002 in 2020.
The agrarian state logged 50,738 incidents of stubble burning in 2019; 59,684 in 2018; 67,079 in 2017 and 1,02,379 in 2016.
Haryana logged 3,661 farm fires this season against 6,987 in 2021 and 4,202 in 2020. The neighbouring state saw 6,364 incidents of stubble burning in 2019; 9,225 in 2018; 13,085 in 2017 and 15,686 in 2016.
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Too early to draw definitive lessons from West Asia conflict: Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi
Bengaluru (PTI): Describing the West Asia war as a critical case study in modern warfare, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on Thursday said it was too early to draw definitive lessons from the conflict.
Addressing the 'Ran Samvad' forum on "Maritime Forces -- Visualisation of Multi Domain Operation (MDO)", he said the Indian armed forces were closely tracking developments in the West Asia conflict to derive lessons for future operations.
"It is too early to draw definitive lessons. The war is still going on. We are monitoring what is happening, what is working, what is not working, and learning the correct lessons," Admiral Tripathi said during the question-answer session.
The Navy Chief emphasised that one of the most striking takeaways from the conflict is the heightened vulnerability of military assets across domains.
"Battle space transparency today is so high that anything visible, whether moving or stationary, is inherently vulnerable," he said.
He added that while all platforms, land, sea and space, face exposure, subsurface assets retain a relative advantage due to detection challenges.
The conflict has also underscored the importance of resilience, particularly in sustaining supply chains under prolonged hostilities.
Admiral Tripathi further noted that carrier battle groups continue to remain central to maritime power projection, demonstrating their operational effectiveness even in contested environments, while their vulnerability depends on the adversary's capabilities and the balance of offensive and defensive systems.
The Navy chief said the services are analysing the conflict "on a near 24x7 basis" and will incorporate lessons at an appropriate time, stressing that modern warfare now demands constant adaptation to rapidly evolving technological and operational realities.
Emphasising that maritime forces have always operated across multiple domains but now face a far more complex and interconnected battle-space, Admiral Tripathi said the Indian Navy is reorienting its strategy to deliver integrated multi-domain effects in an era defined by speed, scale and simultaneity.
He highlighted the need to align strategic thought with technological capability amid evolving global security challenges and rapid technological advancements.
"Today, there is no fixed system of war, no rigid doctrine that we can blindly rely upon," Admiral Tripathi said.
The Navy Chief noted that ongoing instability in India's extended neighbourhood, particularly tensions in West Asia and disruptions to maritime traffic, underline the interconnected nature of modern security.
He said distance no longer insulates nations from consequences, while technological advances are compressing decision-making timelines and merging operational domains.
Drawing from India's civilisational strategic thought, he said multi-domain operations are not entirely new, citing Kautilya's concept of integrating diplomacy, deception and force.
"The pursuit of national objectives extends beyond any single form or domain of conflict," he observed.
Explaining the evolving maritime battlespace, Tripathi described it as a "dense yet more transparent, layered yet deeply interconnected grid extending from the seabed to space".
He identified three defining attributes shaping this grid -- speed, scale and simultaneity.
On speed, he pointed to artificial intelligence-driven systems that compress decision cycles.
"Speed is no longer merely an enabler of warfare, but a distinct capability," he said, noting that modern systems can process vast datasets and enable precision strikes in significantly reduced timeframes.
At the physical level, the Navy is restructuring its force to be "capable, resilient, and inherently networked", with seamless integration between sensors and shooters across domains, he noted.
Highlighting indigenous capability, Admiral Tripathi said the Navy's combat management system has evolved into a key enabler of multi-domain operations, integrating inputs across domains for faster decision-making and coordinated engagement.
