CONCERN OVER ‘MISREPRESENTATION OF ‘TALAK OR DIVORCE Kathmandu, 26 April: : Muslim women and religious leaders have expressed concern over the misinterpretation of the word 'Talak' or divorce existing in the Muslim community due to lack of education and awareness, RSS reports from.Nepalgunj. The existing culture of Talak, which is against the Islam religion, has created more problems for the Muslim women, said speakers at a programme here today. Muslim women and religious leaders here said the word Talak is misunderstood by the Muslim men and is being practiced for personal interest, which is against Koran, the holy book of the Muslims. This all is happening just because of the lack of education and awareness, they said, stressing the need of making the Muslim women educated. The uneducated Muslim women who are forced to give Talak or divorce following the decision of their husbands have no way except for spending a tough life. The culture of Talak will continue to remain painful for the Muslim women until the state ensures their rights to education, Muslim woman leader Sarbatara Khanam said. The Muslim women want severe action against those men misinterpreting the Koran and stressed that Islamic leaders should hold a broad discussion about the sensitive word like Talak be held at the community level to relief the Muslim women from Talak, existing as a social blot in the Muslim society. The Muslim women could continue to suffer the domestic violence including Talak until they are empowered and have representation in the educational, economic and political activities, said human rights activist and advocate Abdul Ajin Musalman. As per the Islam religion, men are not allowed to give divorce to wives without appropriate four causes set by the Koran. If a case of Talak is against Koran, it can be filed at the court, advocate Musalman said. nnnn RS.500,000 RELIEF FOR SOME EMPLOYEES Kathmandu, 26 April: Government Thursday decided to provide Rs. 500,000 to some of the employees and their family members of Civil Servant as relief package. Government also decided to send the draft presented THrsday at the cabinet On Irrigation Policy-2070 to the economic and infrastructure committee of the cabinet for further discussions. Nnnn DOLPHINS UNDER THREAT IN FAR-WEST Kathmandu, 26 April:: Rare Gangetic dolphins found in different rivers of Kailali district in far-west Nepal are threatened because of increased human activities, a study has found, Avinash CHaudhary writes in The Rising Nepal from Dhangadi.. According to the study, food and habitat of dolphins are dwindling due to poison fishing, construction of dams and deforestation in watershed areas. The study found that these gentle water animals have to struggle for survival as the water level in the rivers go down critically during winter. The district development committee awards contracts to fishermen to fish in these rivers. The dolphins have faced food shortage as the fishermen use large nets causing devastation to the fish population. The studies were conducted by Gopal Khanal and Dipendra Nath, students of the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara. The three month long study focused on the dolphin population during winter and impact of different factors on these animals enlisted by the IUCN as endangered. Khanal said that human activities increase considerably when the water level in these rivers are lower. “Dolphin habitats are dwindling. Though their numbers go up during summer due to arrival migratory animals, the population decreases during the dry season,” Khanal said. Oly six to eight dolphins remain as permanent residents during the winter in the Karnali and other rivers, he said. Karnali, Pathraiya, Kadha, Kandra and Mohana rivers are the habitat of dolphins in Kailali district. During the 1980s, there were large number of dolphins in these rivers. However, after the construction of large dams in the border area with India, the number of dolphins is found to have gone down in Karnali and Koshi rivers. In the first dolphin study conducted in 1982, around 20 dolphins were found in the Karnali river. The researchers claim that the population has declined now. The researchers also found that dolphin populations are limited only in deeper areas of the rivers. During the research, two dolphins were found at Khakraula Ghat and in the confluence of Karnali and Mohana rivers. A few were found at Sunkatti Ghat, Banghusra Ghat, Daulatpur, Rajapur and Daugurdi Ghat. The study claimed that dolphins were unable to migrate after India constructed Girijapuri Dam at Karnali River. Researchers also added that natural settlement of dolphins has been destroyed due to construction works at river area, water pollution and decreasing level of water. Those researchers plan to study during the rainy season to find out the numbers of visitor dolphins. Visitor dolphins come to Karnali mainly from Katarniyaghat and Ghagara rivers. The research was conducted with the support of Mohammad Bin Jayed Conservation Fund and Conservation Leadership Programme. nnnn