Today, the Supreme Court instructed the Union Government to obtain data from stationary satellites to monitor farm fires caused by stubble burning.

The direction was passed after noting that there were discrepancies in the data collected by NASA's polar-orbiting satellite and a Korean stationary satellite regarding farm fires.

The Court observed that the data from stationary satellites can give inputs regarding the farm fires throughout the day, based on which the States and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) can take adequate steps.

Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae in the MC Mehta case, informed a bench consisting of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih that ISRO was receiving data from a NASA satellite, which passes over the National Capital Region daily at approximately 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

As a result, the instances of farm fires captured by the satellite are limited to those specific periods. Based on information from a NASA scientist, the amicus curiae stated that a Korean stationary satellite recorded farm fires at 4:20 p.m. It was highlighted that there is a noticeable difference between the data collected by the stationary satellite and the data obtained from the polar-orbiting NASA satellite.

"We direct the Government of India as well as the Commission for Air Quality Management to make immediate arrangements for getting data either from Korean stationery satellites or any other stationery satellites so that data of farm fires throughout the day can be made available to the states to enable them to take immediate actions. Needless to add,the commission and the central government will also involve the ISRO in taking this step.

The ultimate object should be to ensure that all instances of farm burning throughout the day can be reported to the concerned States so that prompt action can be taken by the states. Compliance on this aspect also shall be reported by this Friday. Needless to add that the commission and the central government will procure data from stationery satellites from the first of October of 2024."

Earlier, the Court had reprimanded the States of Punjab and Haryana for failing to enforce the CAQM directives on stubble burning, which is considered a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR. The Court remarked, "Stubble burning leads to severe air pollution. These issues are not merely about implementing existing laws; they involve the blatant violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," as stated in a previous order.