Difference between SAFAR and AQI and NAAQS is mention below in table.
| SAFAR | NAAQS | AQI |
| System Of Air Quality and Weather Forcasting and Research | National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) | Air Quality Index (AQI) |
| Introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. | Notified by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) | Initiated by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. |
| Developed indigenously by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and operationalized by India Meteorological Department (IMD). | Under The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. | It is a colour coded index graded with possible health impact. |
| Provide location-specific information on air quality in near real-time and its forecast 1-3 days in advance. For greater metropolitan cities of India | There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. | |
| Pollutants monitored: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, CO, NOx (NO, NO2), SO2, BC, Methane (CH4), Non- methane, hydrocarbons (NMHC), VOC’s, Benzene, Mercury. | Covers 12 pollutants: Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, PM-10, PM-2.5, Ozone, Lead, Carbon Monoxide, Ammonia, Benzene, BenzoPyrene, Arsenic, Nickel. | Measure 8 major pollutants – Particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5), Nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, ammonia and lead. |
| Also monitor the existence of Benzene, Toluene and Xylene. | ||
| Monitored Meteorological Parameters: UV Radiation, Rainfall, Temperature, Humidity, Wind speed, Wind direction, and solar radiation. |
System Of Air Quality and Weather Forcasting and Research (SAFAR)
Air Quality Index – Basics for Ozone and Particle Pollution
