Air quality in Delhi-NCR remains in “very poor” category

New Delhi Dec 17 (UNI) The air quality in Delhi and NCR continued to remain in the “very poor” category on Friday, as the Air quality Index (AQI) stood at 342, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The air quality was also in the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday as well, with an AQI of 340.

“The air quality over Delhi-NCT is likely to improve and remain in the lower end of the "very poor" category on December 17 and "poor" category on December 18-19,” IMD said in its morning bulletin.

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 171 in the 'very poor' and 283 in the 'poor' category respectively around 10 am, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).



According to data of Central Pollution Control Board, (CPCB) the neighbouring parts of Delhi, also recorded their air quality in the 'poor" to "very poor' category, with Faridabad (at 302 ), Ghaziabad (334), Gurugram (287) and Noida sector 62, (331)



An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.



On Thursday, the Supreme Court asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to invite proposals from the general public and experts for a permanent solution to air pollution woes in the Delhi-NCR region.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government had decided that the entry of non-essentials trucks will remain banned in Delhi till further orders.

The national capital witnessed another cold morning on Friday, with the minimum temperature settling at 7.7 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

“The minimum temperature on Friday is likely to settle at around 8 degree Celsius and the maximum could be 20 degree Celsius,” it said.