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Time of India
6 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Neelakurinji Bloom: No Proposals From Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka to Declare It a Threatened Species
Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have not proposed declaring neelakurinji a threatened species under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, says Botanical Survey of India Despite neelakurinji's famed 12-year bloom cycle and declining populations, Tamil Nadu , Kerala and Karnataka have not proposed declaring it a threatened species under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday. The NGT had in Aug 2024 registered a suo motu case based on a report that neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) had been identified as Vulnerable (Criteria A2c) under the IUCN Red List following its first-ever global assessment. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The NGT noted that the endemic shrub of the southwest Indian montane grasslands was reported to have lost almost 40% of its habitat, with remaining areas threatened by tea and softwood plantations, invasive eucalyptus and black wattle species, urbanisation, infrastructure projects, afforestation programmes, and climate change. Peermade in Kerala was cited as one of the locations where recent blooming was reported. The Tribunal directed BSI, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, and the ministry of environment, forest and climate change to respond and assist in determining whether environmental and biodiversity laws were being complied with in the context of neelakurinji conservation. In its submission on July 15, BSI stated that though neelakurinji has been reported as vulnerable globally, no formal proposal from any state, including Tamil Nadu, has been received to notify it as threatened under national law. BSI disputed reports of a 40% population decline, asserting that no conclusive scientific data exists to support that figure and indicated the need for a comprehensive reassessment across affected habitats. Contrary to the long-held view that neelakurinji grows at elevations between 1,340m and 2,600m, BSI pointed routecent field records show the plant grows at altitudes as low as 1,100m, a habitat shift that warrants closer investigation. BSI also said most subpopulations remain fragmented, with some having fewer than 500 plants, and that factors such as habitat loss, declining pollinator interactions, and the long 12-year flowering cycle continue to threaten the species. It confirmed that neelakurinji occurs in more than 34 locations, many outside protected areas, including on revenue land, further complicating conservation strategies.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
About 200 SharePoint cases in Germany vulnerable to security flaw, BSI says
Synopsis Germany's cybersecurity agency BSI has identified around 200 vulnerable SharePoint servers linked to a critical flaw Microsoft failed to fully patch. Though some affected systems are within German government networks, no breaches have been confirmed. The flaw risks enabling a wider global cyber espionage campaign if left unaddressed.
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Johor-Singapore shuttle buses resume operations, but pay dispute still unresolved
JOHOR BARU, July 22 — Shuttle bus services from here to Singapore have returned to normal today after drivers ended their strike following discussions with the respective companies, said Johor Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh. He said shuttle bus services at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and several other major bus stops in the city to Singapore are operating as usual today. 'The resumption of the services was due to efforts by the state government and Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) in reaching out to the drivers and their company representatives on the issues that triggered the day-long strike yesterday. 'However, the matter is still unresolved pending ongoing negotiations with the 100-odd bus drivers and their companies,' he said when contacted by the media today. Mohamad Fazli explained that there were many factors, including salaries, that contributed to the shuttle bus strike yesterday. 'At present, there have been no developments yet as both parties are still at the discussion stage,' he said. Yesterday, thousands of Malaysian workers commuting to Singapore were affected as more than 100 shuttle bus drivers to the republic went on strike from 5am. Many Malaysians and other visitors to Singapore were stranded at major bus stops as well as the BSI. Some opted to walk the length of the Causeway to reach the republic. It is understood that the strike was motivated by bus drivers' wage cuts and an increase in mandatory trips, which were among their main grouses.
New Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Pay cut, extra trips caused strike among Singapore-bound bus drivers
JOHOR BARU: Some 100 shuttle bus drivers serving the Johor Baru–Singapore route resumed duty this morning after the company company agreed to reinstate their previous salary structure, ending a one-day strike that caused major disruptions for thousands of cross-border commuters. The strike was sparked by a revised pay scheme which saw drivers losing between RM800 and RM900 in monthly income. They were also required to make an additional daily trip to Singapore. Previously, they are required to make four trips back and forth Johor Baru-Singapore. Driver Atoi, 35, said his monthly salary had previously averaged RM2,800 before the changes were implemented two months ago. "The new structure significantly reduced our earnings. We were not trying to inconvenience commuters, we just wanted our rights respected," he said. "We returned to work only after the company agreed to revert to the original pay terms." He added the discontent among Singapore-bound shuttle bus drivers were over pay cuts and additional duties has been brewing for months. "When our latest salary slips were issued a day late, it broke the camel's back, triggering yesterday's strike by some 100 drivers," Atoi said. The drivers had kept the bus doors shut while parked at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar's bus terminal platform, where the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex, is housed. The New Straits Times learnt that drivers on the Causeway route usually received higher allowances than those on the Second Link, so the impact was deeply felt. "We used to earn between RM2,800 and RM2,900 a month. After the adjustment, some of us took home less than RM2,000," he said. "There were also salary deductions we do not fully understand. The system has become unfair and unclear," he said. The drivers resumed work after the bus company agreed to revert to the previous salary structure following a meeting with Johor Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh. The strike began at 5am on Monday and triggered a massive congestion at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI), with some workers resorting to walking across the Causeway to reach their jobs in Singapore. Operations resumed in stages after state exco Mohamad Fazli intervened and mediated between the drivers and the company yesterday afternoon. "About half of us resumed work yesterday evening. The rest returned to work this morning," Atoi said. Anwar Ahmad, 29, a Malaysian cleaner working in Singapore, said this morning's commute went smoothly with no queues at the BSI bus platforms. "Yesterday was a nightmare. Today, everything was back to normal. Buses were on time, no delays," he said. Mohamad Fazli, who is also Bukit Pasir assemblyman, confirmed service had fully resumed and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved in good faith.
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
British business slows climate action, sees government net zero agenda as unrealistic
LONDON: British business leaders are putting a brake on their plans to combat climate change and do not believe the government's approach to net zero is compatible with growth, a survey of 1,000 executives showed on Tuesday. Both large companies and small enterprises in health, construction, finance and manufacturing are turning away from climate-related action like target-setting, as falling confidence in Britain's climate agenda and high costs turn the tide on enthusiasm for net zero, the survey by the British Standards Institution (BSI) showed. The shift is happening despite the Labour government's commitment to boosting green growth, and substantial pledges for investment in clean energy, green technology, and jobs. Almost three-quarters (71%) of business leaders surveyed said the government cannot expand the economy while at the same time trying to reach net-zero. Half (50%) said that objective was unrealistic, according to the findings by the BSI, which sets best-practice quality requirements for anything from ball point pens to net-zero plans. The turnaround in sentiment coincides with a notable drop-off in corporate target-setting, action and climate commitments among British businesses, with firms citing high costs, lack of finance for green tech and a move to prioritize business growth as barriers, the BSI said. Scott Steedman, director general of standards at BSI, said the survey showed a "hiatus in corporate activity probably linked to changes in government policy in the UK after the election and international backpedalling." Only a third (36%) of British businesses claim this year they have set targets to achieve net zero, a significant drop from the 58% who stated they had done so last year, the survey shows. The portion of businesses this year taking climate action has also fallen markedly from 83% in 2024 to just under a half (49%) this year. Overall, the proportion of businesses saying they felt they would likely achieve net zero by 2050 fell from 76% last year to 55% this year, with over half expecting to revise their strategies or targets. However, the BSI said the vast majority of businesses (83%) still wanted to take action and would like support to do so. (Reporting by Virginia Furness, Editing by William Maclean)
