Apropos of the news story “50 per cent laboratory reports not reliable: NPHL” (THT, October 1, Page 1), we would like to ask the government: so, what now?

What is the youngest member of the cabinet, who chairs the health portfolio, going to do to the private laboratories which are dishing out inaccurate and unreliable reports? Will they be shut? Will they be caned black and blue?

Or will the owners and their seven generation descendants be barred from operating laboratories in the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal? As the youngest minister is probably aware, this is a very serious issue. Playing with people’s lives is not a joke.

It is just not enough to publish the report that 50 per cent laboratories are unreliable. Action befitting their wrong-doing must be taken.

Needless to say, in the crucible of democracy, i.e., the USA these labs and their owners would have become a piece of history by now. We will see what the federal democratic government will do to the guilty - punish or reward.

Meanwhile, the government must immediately publish the list of those laboratories that do not meet the set standard.

They should not be allowed to continue with their businesses that play with the public health.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Yoga practice

This has reference to the news story “Bhaktapur, first-ever yoga district” (THT, September 27, Page 2). To quote Buddha “Yoga brings wisdom, lack of yoga leaves ignorance.

Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” Indeed, practising yoga will not only be enhancing sound health in our life but also connects us with spirituality.

In today’s hectic life, most people are living sedentary life; face multiple problems such as angers, tensions, stresses, anxiety, depressions and so on.

However, while practising yoga on a regular basis we will be leading a healthy life and mentally face challenges ahead.

Most importantly, it is believed that by practising yoga on a regular basis we will win over the diseases that come to us due to our lazy life style. But so often, people are not practising yoga when it comes to following routinely.

Apart from this, we all know that we mark the International Yoga Day on June 21 to promote the culture of Yoga which is a traditional form of physical and mental exercise developed thousands of years ago in this sub-continent.

In order to make it popular among the general public the government should make it mandatory to its civil servants, teachers and students to practice Yoga at least for an hour every day.

Besides, all the municipalities can also allocate public spaces so that people can perform Yoga at their convenient time.

Once the practice of Yoga becomes a common culture most of the diseases that can be cured from physical exercises can be kept at bay without visiting doctors.

Saroj Wagle, Bara