This is with reference to the news story “Minor girls employed in entertainment industry” (THT, January 25, Page 2). There should not be any problem if minors get an opportunity to work in non-hazardous environment and in places that are not detrimental to their mental and physical growth.

A little money that they earn from such works during spare time can be useful to support themselves for their studies and fun. However, it is sad to learn that the minor girls are employed in night time entertainment business in urban areas, including the Kathmandu Valley, under the nose of law enforcement agencies.

The entertainment sector is not a suitable place for the minors to be employed. This is the venue where adults assemble there only to booze and make fun. One can find the minor girls serving customers in dance bars, restaurants, spa centres, “Dohori Sanjh” from the evening to midnight. They have to work under duress; get the lowest salary for the job unfit for them and, there are chances that they could be sexually abused or harassed by customers. Most of the minor girls are employed there as they are lured into this business by their peers and, they also do not have other alternative.

Employing the minor girls in entertainment business is unlawful. The government must take stern action against those who employ minor girls. It is also reported that most of the girls who work in the country’s entertainment business are also taken abroad to work in similar profession. Some of them have gone as far away as Kenya, according to media reports. Those girls should be imparted with other skills so that they do not need to work there.

Magar Bharat Khotange, Kathmandu

Inspiring

This is in reference to the article “Reading for writing”, (THT, January 24, Page 8) by Pharshaman Tamang.

It is indisputably true the fact that reading precedes writing. I have been contributing letters for The Himalayan Times since 2005 on a regular basis in this section. From what I know little about writing is that it is a reflection of skills that can be acquired by means of reading. In order to become a writer, a person needs to cultivate their reading habits. I staunchly support the writer’s example that a person needs to read hundred of books to be able to write one hundred sentences.

To clarify this in a philosophical way, I would like to say that the river requires several decades to churn out big boulders to make a pile of beds of delicate sands on the side of river. So is the case with writers. Writing is also somewhat A similar process where a person needs to invest a lot of time in reading to master the art of writing. Initially, they do not have any clue about writing. The more they read, the more they unfold the writing’s secrets. Therefore, reading is the way forward to get the end-result.

Shiva Neupane, Melbourne