New Delhi: Residents of Mumbai will now be able to check air pollution levels on their smartphones. On Tuesday, SAFAR or System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research was launched by Union earth sciences minister Harsh Vardhan and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The system will provides location-specific current and three-day advance forecast on air quality parameters in terms of an air quality index, besides ultraviolet radiation and weather data. City dwellers can also access the details through the app or the website of SAFAR, which already offers air pollution data for Delhi and Pune.

The services will be provided jointly by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the India Meteorological Department, both of which come under the earth sciences ministry.

Across Mumbai, there will be 14 LED digital display boards showing details of air pollution levels in the city.

The mobile app shows air quality using a colour code, where green stands for good, yellow for moderate, orange for poor, red for very poor and maroon for severe air pollution. Each colour is also accompanied by a health advisory such as ‘no cautionary action needed’ or ‘avoid all outdoor physical activity’.

Apart from the air quality index for Mumbai as a whole, specific information is available for the localities of Bhandup, Colaba, Malad, Mazagaon, Worli, Borivali, BKC, Chembur and Andheri.

The air quality index is made using factors such as particulate matter (PM10, PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone.

Particulate matter (PM), which can include sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water, are considered the most dangerous air pollutants. These can settle deep inside the lungs, making people vulnerable to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as lung cancer.

Equally, ozone in the air is a major factor in asthma morbidity and mortality, while nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide can also play a role in the onset of asthma, bronchial symptoms, lung inflammation and reduced lung function.

Air pollution is a major cause for worry in India especially after a World Health Organization report last year reported that 13 of the 20 most polluted cities of the world were in India.

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