UP: Thick layer of smog covers Noida, AQI remains in 'very poor' category

Visuals from various locations across Noida showed a thick layer of smog surrounding parts of the city as the air quality stood in 'Very Poor' category.

The AQI in Noida was recorded to be at 322, as per SAFAR-India.

Besides, overall air quality in the national capital also fell into the 'Very Poor' category, with an AQI of 306, slightly worse than the 302 recorded on Sunday afternoon.

The overall air quality in the National Capital deteriorated from the 'poor' category to the 'very poor' category, with the Air Quality Index at 302 on Sunday afternoon, as per data from SAFAR-India.

On Sunday morning, the overall air quality was recorded in the 'poor category' with an AQI of 266 against 173 recorded on Saturday.

According to the latest data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality around Delhi University was recorded at 330 (very poor) at noon, while IGI Terminal T3 in New Delhi was at 313 against 276 in the Sunday morning hours.

According to the SAFAR, the air quality in Kartavya Path at India Gate was recorded at 266 on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Noida recorded an AQI of 290 (poor) and Gurugram 152 (moderate). Anand Vihar breached the very poor category in New Delhi with an AQI of 345, IT0 with an AQI of 309, New Moti Bagh with an AQI of 360, Dwarka Sector-8 recorded an AQI of 313.

The Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms that are easy to understand. There are six AQI categories, namely Good + Satisfactory, Moderately Polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe.

Each of these categories is decided based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints). According to the AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 450 "severe". (ANI)