A NASA satellite has captured a vast blanket of haze and smoke spreading across northern India and Pakistan, highlighting the growing regional air pollution crisis as winter approaches. The striking image shows a thick layer of greyish smog extending far beyond Delhi NCR covering large parts of the Indo Gangetic plains.
The satellite photograph offers a wide view of the pollution belt, demonstrating how deteriorating air quality is affecting several regions across national borders.
The image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and made available through NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS).
It reveals a dense layer of haze stretching from Pakistan through northern India towards the eastern parts of the country. The pollution is particularly visible across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring regions.
The Himalayan mountain range can also be seen clearly in the northern section of the satellite image, providing a striking contrast against the widespread haze covering the plains.
While Delhi NCR frequently draws attention for its severe winter pollution, the satellite image highlights that the problem extends across a much larger geographical area.
The widespread haze points to a regional pollution challenge affecting multiple states and neighbouring Pakistan. As winter conditions set in, the satellite observation serves as a reminder of the scale of the air pollution problem across northern South Asia.