NEW DELHI:  The national capital’s overall air quality remained ‘very poor’ on Wednesday due to insufficient rainfall NEW DELHI: and moderate wind speed According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 349, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and between 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The CPCB said 25 areas in Delhi recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while three areas had ‘poor’ quality air.  Shadipur in central Delhi and Wazirpur in northwest Delhi had ‘severe’ air quality. 
The level of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns) was recorded at 179 and the PM10 level was 293.

In the National Capital Region, Gurugram recorded ‘poor’ air quality, while Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Noida fell in the ‘very poor’ category.The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said air quality has not improved significantly as the rainfall was not enough. 

“Air quality has not improved significantly as rainfall was not sufficient and the wind speed was also moderate. The AQI is expected to improve slightly but not significantly. It will remain oscillating between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ for the next three days,” it said.

Meanwhile, Delhiites woke up to a cloudy Wednesday morning. Light to moderate rains were reported fro various parts of the National Capital Region.The minimum temperature was recorded threenotches above the season’s average at 12 degrees Celsius. 

“The sky will remain generally cloudy throughout the day with thunderstorm and hail likely in the later parts of the day as well,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.In past 24 hours, the city witnesses about 1mm of rain.On Tuesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 25 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season’s average while the minimum was 9 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year.