Delhi's air quality improves to 'moderate' category with AQI value standing at 156

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New Delhi: The air quality of the national capital improved to the ‘moderate’ category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded at 156 on Thursday (March 24) morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. 

Several areas of Delhi such as Anand Vihar, Rohini and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded ‘moderate’ air quality, with the AQI values standing at 193, 177, and 155 respectively, according to the CPCB data. 

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 185 and 62 in the ‘moderate’ category respectively.

"The overall Delhi air quality is in the Moderate category as forecasted. Surface winds are calm and forecasted to improve. Better ventilation and rainfall are likely to influence AQI positively. However, typical March dust episodes are likely to influence Delhi negatively in the coming days as per SAFAR extended range forecast. The dust contribution is likely to moderately increase in next 2-3 days," said Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) in its bulletin. 

The AQI is predicted to marginally deteriorate from the 'Moderate' to ‘Poor’ category for tomorrow. ‘Poor’ AQI is forecasted for 26th and 27th March as simulated by dust module of SAFAR, it added. 

As per government agencies, an AQI within the range of 0-5 is regarded as `good`, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’ and 301-400 is ‘very poor’ and 401-500 is considered ‘severe’.