Environment & Climate

CAQM Issues Drone SOP to Four States to Track Stubble Burning

30 July 2026UPSCSSC

In Brief

CAQM mandates drone surveillance in Punjab, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan to catch stubble burning.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to four northern states for deploying aerial drones to detect stubble burning. The directive targets agricultural fields across Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during critical harvest windows.

The SOP specifically instructs enforcement teams to deploy surveillance drones preferably between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM daily. This timeframe was strategically chosen because farmers frequently initiate crop residue burning during late afternoon and early evening hours to evade detection by polar-orbiting environmental satellites like NASA's MODIS and VIIRS.

Statutory mandates require state pollution control boards and district monitoring committees to utilize high-resolution thermal imaging drones capable of night vision. Data collected will feed into a centralized geo-tagged dashboard, enabling rapid response teams to impose environmental compensation levies under Section 15 of the CAQM Act, 2021.

This operational policy is a high-priority topic for Environment (GS Paper III) and Governance. Questions in Prelims and Mains may test the statutory powers of CAQM, air pollution mitigation measures in Northern India, or technological applications in environmental regulation.

UPSC Study NotesHIGHGS3 — Environment & Ecology & GS2 — Governance

GS3 — Environment & Ecology & GS2 — Governance

📌 Exam Angle

Prelims may test statutory powers of the CAQM Act, 2021 and satellite monitoring limitations like MODIS/VIIRS. Mains can test how tech-driven enforcement balances punitive measures with sustainable agricultural waste management in the NCR.

⚠️ Key Concerns

Punitive drone surveillance targets resource-poor farmers without resolving structural issues like machinery costs or tight harvest windows. Additionally, high drone deployment costs, thermal imaging limits, and inter-state enforcement friction hinder scalability.

💡 Why It Matters

It demonstrates a shift toward real-time, tech-driven environmental regulation to overcome satellite surveillance blind spots. Resolving stubble burning is crucial for addressing North India's winter public health emergency and regional governance issues.

🔑 Must Remember

• CAQM is a statutory body constituted under the CAQM Act, 2021. • Drones target 3 PM–9 PM window to counter satellite evasion strategies. • Penalties are levied under Section 15 of the CAQM Act, 2021.

📝 Key Terms

CAQM Act 2021Stubble BurningMODIS and VIIRS SatellitesThermal Imaging DronesEnvironmental Compensation LevyGeo-tagged DashboardCooperative FederalismAir Quality Index

CAQM Issues Drone SOP to Four States to Track Stubble Burning

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