Faridabad: Contributing one’s part for community goodwill does not take a lot of effort. Tulika from Faridabad runs a crockery bank where she provides stainless steel utensils for various events. Let’s delve into her story to find out what motivates her to provide this free service. 

Who is Tulika Suleja?

Tulika Suleja is a resident of Faridabad. Prior to this community work, she was living her life as a homemaker. She lived with her husband and children in a quiet locality of Faridabad. She has always been diligent about preparing the best quality food for her family to maintain their health. Being devoted to her role as a homemaker, somewhere in the back of her mind, she wished to do something for the environment.

The beginnings

Tulika shares an incident she witnessed that prompted her to embark on her community service journey. It is not an uncommon sight in India to see piles of disposable plates lying outside dustbins, after a local food event. Tulika once came across such a sight and found it distressing to think how harmful it was for the environment. She thought of an idea to improve the situation. Thousands of plastic wastes are collected from festivals, resulting in the degradation of the environment. Tulika desired to look for a solution to the issue of disposable plates. 

Crockery bank

Tulika expressed her wish to her husband, and he played a supportive role in the initiative. Together, they procured utensils for the crockery bank and Tulika used social media to disseminate the information. Gradually, people organizing functions or celebrations learned about this initiative and approached Tulika for assistance. 

Receiving support

Tulika’s crockery bank gained popularity, and people began sourcing utensils from her for various events. Several enthusiastic environmentalists also joined hands with her. According to Tulika, she initially started with 50 plates, 50 spoons, and 50 glasses, investing only Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 in the initiative. The success is reflected in its widespread adoption for diverse functions.