Growing season in India is seen by the Suomi NPP satellite in late October 2016.
This Suomi NPP image shows this agricultural practice of “slash and burn” being carried out in the Punjab region of India. The image was taken by the VIIRS instrument on Suomi NPP on October 23, 2016. Red outlines show the approximate locations of active burning.
The Punjab state grows about one-fifth of India’s wheat and preparing for planting with fire has the benefit of clearing out some pests that eat crops and turning crop residues from the previous season into fertilizing ash.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC. Caption by Lynn Jenner with information from the Earth Observatory.
Suomi NPP is managed by NASA and NOAA.