Asserting that safety lapses cannot be simply blamed on pilots, aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday announced a raft of strict measures for non-scheduled operators, including intensive audits and a safety ranking mechanism, amid safety concerns raised in the wake of recent aircraft accidents. After a special audit found various lapses, the regulator has also grounded four planes of Non-Scheduled Operator VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, whose aircraft crashed at Baramati, killing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. A day after a plane, operated by a non-scheduled operator (NSOP), crashed in Jharkhand, killing seven people onboard, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a meeting with all such operators on Tuesday. The meeting was held to "address a recent surge in aviation incidents and emphasised the critical need for an increased focus on safety across the sector", the regulator said in a statement. It also happened on a day when a Pawan