Emergency measures initiated as air quality on brink of turning 'severe'

Taking cognisance of the rising pollution levels in the national capital and its surrounding regions, emergency measures to check pollution came into force from Thursday in Delhi-NCR. Under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), state pollution control bodies have been directed to initiate criminal prosecution against violators, while the Delhi government said it was fully prepared to implement the odd-even scheme to regulate private vehicles when needed even as it urges the people to use the public transport for the next 10 days when the air quality is likely to deteriorate further.