New Delhi Dec 14 : The air quality in the national capital Today  remained in the “very poor” category as the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 357, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The air quality was in the ‘very poor’ category on Monday as well, with an AQI of 331.

“The air quality over Delhi-NCT is likely to remain in the very poor category on December 14 and 15. The air quality is likely to improve and remain in the lower end of very poor to poor category on December 16” said the IMD

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 165 in the ‘very poor’ and 274 in the ‘poor’ category respectively around 10 am, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

According to the data of Central Pollution Control Board the Air Quality Index, several areas in the national capital including ITO, Lodhi Road, and Mandir Marg recorded in “very poor to severe category with an AQI of 241, 293, and 308 while the AQI at Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri were in the “severe” category with an AQI 403 and 421 respectively.

The neighbouring parts of Delhi, also recorded their air quality in the ‘poor to very poor’ category, Faridabad (at 362), Ghaziabad (365), Gurugram (354) and Noida sector 62, (308)

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’.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Monday decided that the entry of non-essentials trucks will remain banned into the city till further orders.

According to the IMD the minimum temperature is set to dip further by early next week. By December 20, the minimum temperature could fall to 5 degree Celsius and the maximum to 21 degree Celsius.

The minimum temperature on Tuesday is likely to settle at around 7 degree Celsius and the maximum could be 23 degree Celsius.(UNI)