The heavy haze, which has come down on the Indian capital over the past few weeks, could have been caused by burning of agricultural wastes in neighboring states, local media reported on Saturday.

Images released by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from its moderate resolute imaging spectro-radiometer's aqua-satellite suggest a thick blanket of aerosols lying over northern Indian states including Delhi, According to local daily The Times of India.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee officials and scientists at System of Air-Quality Weather Forecasting and Research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences here said such burning of agricultural waste in the states of Haryana and Punjab near Delhi could be worsening the capital's already choking pollution.

The Indian capital is suffering from heavy pollutions from vehicle emissions, air conditioners and other heavy polluters and its air quality is listed one of the worst in the world cities by international monitors.

The NASA images, taken on Oct. 30 and 19 respectively, also showed a large area of northern India covered with red dots which suggests fire, apart from thick layer of aerosols and fire spots.

Every year around October and early November, farmers harvest and sow crop in northern India and many resort to burning straw and other wastes, said experts.

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