Kozhikode: “When you serve a sulaimani (lime tea), serve a little love with it to make it tastier,” was a catchy dialogue in the Malayalam blockbuster ‘Ustad Hotel.’
The district administration’s ‘Operation Sulaimani’ is doing that and more for the underprivileged people of Kozhikode with the participation of Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association (KHRA) members.
The association has distributed 2,000 coupons to the village offices from where the needy can collect them and have free lunch at local hotels. Though this is the Ramzan month of fasting, nearly 500 coupons have been picked up already.
“We have been running a hotel near Kuthiravattom from 1938 but never have I felt so happy as now seeing the people having free lunch here and giving me a thankful look,” Mr P. Sivanandan, who runs Sharadha Hotel near Kuthiravattom mental hospital, told DC.
Most of those who avail of free lunch are the bystanders of patients in the mental hospital. “They are people who do not beg before others for any favours. The district administration’s initiative to help such people through Operation Sulaimani is laudable,” Mr Sivanandan said.
KHRA district secretary T.V. Muhammad Suhail said that they had been getting more enquiries from philanthropists who wanted to contribute to the scheme.
“The hoteliers are happy to participate in this. As it is the fasting month, not many hotels are open in Kozhikode but still people are collecting the coupons,” Mr Suhail said.
Philanthropists can purchase bulk coupons and distribute them to the needy or donate cash to keep the scheme going. Contributions may be sent to the ‘Operation Sulaimani’ account number 0114104000213998, IDBI Bank, YMCA Cross Road Branch. IFSC Code: IBKL0000114 and SWIFT Code: IBKLINBB027.
