Jethva's Research on Fires, Smoke, and Air Quality in the Media

First, in the Earth Observatory Item of the Day (IOTD), "Smoky Skies Over the Indo-Gangetic Plain," Dr. Jethva discusses his use of the NDVI "to measure the amount of fire activity in the region each year." On an annual basis, farmers in northern India and Pakistan "burn off excess straw after the rice harvest," and these fires lead to smoke plumes that, in turn, lead to poor air quality conditions. 

Second, he contributed research discoveries and related information graphics to a Health Policy Watch article titled "Delhi Air Pollution: Is Government’s Satellite Monitoring Missing Stubble Fires?" Dr. Jethva and other researchers question the "downward trend" of fires burning in Punjab and Haryana; rather, the fires do continue to occur, but due to the the timing of the satellite observations in the late morning and early afternoon, the trend is inaccurate, since fires are happening in late afternoon or overnight, according to the researchers. Accountability and enforcement of the policies implemented in India is also necessary.