South Asia Investor Review

Why does the air quality in New Delhi and Lahore ranks among the world's worst at this time of the year? The answer to this oft-repeated question can be found in the satellite maps constantly updated by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  Indian government recently estimated that 36% of  pollution was contributed by farm fires. Here's how NASA Earth Observatory explains it: "The haze visible in this image likely results from a combination of agricultural fires, urban and industrial pollution, and a regional temperature inversion. Most of the time, air higher in the atmosphere is cooler than air near the planet’s surface, and this configuration allows warm air to rise from the ground and disperse pollutants. In the wintertime, however, cold air frequently settles over northern India, trapping warmer air underneath. The temperature inversion traps pollutants along with warm air at the surface, contributing to the buildup of haze." Farm Fires Se...

Thick  smog enveloping Pakistan's Punjab  province has seriously disrupted road and air traffic and created significant health emergency for the people, according to Pakistani media reports. Indian cities, including the nation's capital New Delhi, are also suffering from it. I s India Responsible? Pakistani officials have blamed "the incursion of smoke and particle matter from the burning of crop stubble in the Indian Punjab." Particulate matter of 2.5 microns or larger as measured in micrograms per cubic meter is up to  80 times higher  than the upper limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter considered safe by the World Health Organization. Is the Pakistani claim supported by data? Let's try and answer this question with  satellite images  of the area released by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Crop Burning Incidents Seen from space. Source: NASA Earth Observatory NASA Satellite Images: Here's how NASA...