The demand for eco-friendly sal duna-tapri produced by Hatemalo Community Forest Consumer Group, Chandrapur Rautahat has increased tremendously. With the aim of developing entrepreneurship among women belonging to the group, it has been producing duna-tapri with the help of machines. However, the women belonging to the group have not been able to meet the demand for duna-tapri produced by picking sal leaves and punching machines.
President of Hatemalo Community Consumers Group, Ramlal Thokar, said that the women members of the group have been producing commercial duna-tapri for developing entrepreneurship. 'We cannot meet the demand of duna-tapri produced here,' he said, 'customers themselves come to the office of the group and take the tapri. We are still not able to supply as per the demand.' According to the
group, the market price of a tapri made from sal leaves is Rs 4, big duna is Rs 2 and small duna is Rs 1. "As it is cheaper than the plate made of plastic and is more religiously correct, the demand for Sal's duna tapri is high," said Laxman Mahato, office secretary of the group. The group has been saving more than Rs 30,000 per month by providing all necessary expenses to women entrepreneurs from Duna-Tapri produced here. The
group hires women entrepreneurs for the task of picking sal leaves and making simple topis at Rs 2 per topi. It is charging Rs 2 per tapri for electricity tariff and the wages of tapir making and other expenses.
Lakshmi Lama, who has been running Duna-Topri making equipment, has expressed her happiness to have a small venture in her own village. 'I am living in my own village and earning Rs 600 per day. It has definitely helped us to work,' she said. The women members of the group collect sal leaves from the community forest during their free time. To make a
topiary, sal leaves are crushed in the usual way and placed on an iron die to give the shape of a topiary or duna. The group has been commercially producing Sal Duna-Tapri since June 10, 2080. 600 toppers and 1,000 small and large dunas are produced here daily.
