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“SAFAR-India”:AtaGlance

TECHNOLOGYDEVELOPMENTDevelopmentofanEarlyWarningSystem-

"SystemofAirQualityandWeatherForecastingandResearch”-SAFAR–India

• ACCEREDATION1. GlobalRecognition:ProjectrecognizedbyWorldMeteorologicalOrganization(WMO),UnitedNations(UN)asitspilotprojectandprovidedthe"CertificateofExcellence".

2. NationalCertification:ISO9001:2008-StandardCertificationCouncilofIndia.

• PROJECTOBJECTIVE

Providinglocationspecificinformationoncurrentandupto3-daysadvanceforecastforairqualityandweatheralongwithcurrentultravioletindex(skinrelated)andemissionscenariosoverthecityarea.Disseminatingtheinformationinaneasyto

understandformatandissuinghealthadvisoriesleadingtoself-mitigationandpolicyhelp,sequentiallybenefittingthesociety.

• FOUNDATION

SAFAR-IndiaasamissionmodeprojectofMinistryofEarthSciences(Govt.ofIndia)whichis conceived, developed and implementedby its constituents Indian Institute ofTropicalMeteorology,Punefor4Metrocitiesnamely,Delhi,Pune,MumbaiandAhmedabadforthefirsttimeinthecountry.Abalancedpropositionwheremitigationmeasuresgoeshandinhandwithdevelopmentlinkedtoeconomicgrowthandbetterhealthbenefitstosociety.

• ‘SAFAR’TECHNOLOGY

TheSAFARsystemintegratesdatagathering,forecasting,translatingdataintoinformationanditsystematicdisseminationonairqualityandweather.

• ‘SAFAR’PARAMETERS

AirQuality:PM10,PM2.5,PM1,O3,CO,NOx(NO+NO2),BC,SO2,Benzene,Toulene,Xylene.Weather:Rainfall,Temperature,Humidity,Windspeed,Winddirection,UVRadiation.

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• PRODCUTSTOSOCIETY

1. AIRQUALITY:Current&Forecastwithhealthadvisoriesforadvancepreparedness.2. HARMFULRADIATION:SeverityofUVradiation(UVI)withassociatedskinadvisories.3. WEATHER:Current&Forecast4. EXTREMEEVENTS:Alertforextremepollutionevents.5. EMISSIONSCENARIO:Accountingsourcesofairpollutiontoidentifyhotspots.

• SAFAROFFERING

• Increase in awareness among the communities on the quality of air we breathe and itseffectonhealthintermsofadvisories,whichislowatpresent.

• Awarenessof field level functionariesonpreventivemeasurestohelptimelydetectionofairpollutionlinkedmorbidityinformation.

• Toprovideresearchbasedevidenceconnectingclimatechange,airpollutionandhealth;• Preparingthecommunityandmedicalfraternitytodealwithextremepollutionrisk

• SAFARINFORMATIONTOOLSThedataandproductdisseminationtosocietyisdonethroughvariousmedia-

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• SAFARBENEFICIARIES

1. Societyatlarge–Spreadingawarenessandadvancepreparedness2. ResearcherinthefieldofShortTermClimateChange3. HealthProfessionalstoplanstrategyforProtectingHumanHealth4. LocalExecutiveAgencieslikeMunicipalCorporations5. DisasterManagementUnit,EnvironmentDepartment6. EducationalInstitutesandpolicymakers.7. Planningofagriculturalcropyieldbenefit8. BasisformitigationstrategiestoprotectHumanhealth• SOCIO-ECONOMICBENEFITS1. SAFARsystemcontributingtonationalbuildinginreducingthecostofairqualityrelateddiseaseslikeAsthma,COPD,etc.Apilotcasestudyofsocio-economicbenefitsrevealsthatthe cost saving involved in treatment of patient, ICU and hospitalization would be asfollows:Delhi~Rs.1157Crin5years;Pune~371Crin5yearsand~98lakhand31LakhspatientsmaygetbenefitedrespectivelyfromprecautionarymeasuresandadvisorybasedonSAFARforecast.

2. Promoting an integrated approach for air quality and climate mitigation co-benefittingHumanhealthbyprovidingtoolsandsystemstostrengthendecisionsupportsystem.

3. The“SAFAR-India”frameworkwilleventuallylead,tothepreparationofscience-based“AirQualityActionPlan”forthefirsttimespecifictoIndianMetropolitancities.

4. It is accelerating the research and application’s partnership to improve air quality andhealthsectorandpublicpreparednessfromairpollutionandweatherextremes.

• FUTUREVISION

Bringing together air quality researchers, Health professional, policy maker, innovatorsand implementers on a common platform to build a sustainable early warning systemtransforming SAFAR-India to Regional Research Units to serve the country as EarlyWarningSystemstohelpdecisionsupportsystem.

- Dr. Gufran Beig Project Director, SAFAR

IITM, Pune (beig@tropmet.res.in) May 1, 2017

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