Entertainment: The eighth sitting of the Tsirang Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT) approved yesterday the establishment of four karaoke bars in Damphu town.

Although three of the karaoke bars have already been operational for the past year, they were operating without the approval of the DT.

This will be the first time an entertainment area is given official approval by the DT in Tsirang. DT Chairman Yeshi said that sometime in 2009 the dzongkhag administration had approved establishment of a drayang without it being endorsed by the DT. The drayang was later shut down. Since then Tsirang remained without any such entertainment venues.

He said although such entertainment venues are required, one has to be mindful of the number of such businesses in a dzongkhag.”To begin with three are good enough, approval for more may be given in the future depending on the need,” he said.

The DT chairman added that it is important the DT approves the establishment of drayangs, karaoke bars, snooker halls and discotheques even if a trade license has been obtained. However there are no standing rules or laws requiring the DT’s approval after having availed a license.

However, in Tsirang although three karaoke bars were operational without seeking the DT’s approval the dzongkhag entertainment committee had not taken any action. Seeking approval was partially to let the  DT know what was happening in the dzongkhag so that the DT may interfere when the business faces a problem later on.

Sharing his views on the issue, Tsirang toe Gup Nar Bahadur Rai said that while on the one hand it’s a good move that Tsirang will have such places, the dzongkhag has to have stringent directives on its operation.  He added that when places like Thimphu is already struggling with operating timings, he recommended that the DT or the dzongkhag entertainment committee draw up proper terms and conditions for the approved karaoke bars.

DT secretary Sonam Phuntsho said that the committee has in fact already set up terms and conditions, which the entertainment houses will have to abide by strictly. Although already operational, the DT secretary said the three karaoke bars need to complete formalities by applying to the dzongkhag entertainment committee again.

Meanwhile the last sitting of the DT for current local government members in Tsirang concluded yesterday.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang