Battery operated vehicle driver A. Edison, 38, was felicitated by Greater Chennai Corporation for his honesty on Saturday.
Corporation Regional Deputy Commissioner Sharanya Ari on Saturday tweeted: “One of our BOV operator in zone 10, Mr. Edison found a bag containing ₹20,000 in cash. He immediately informed the supervisor and the amount was handed over to the rightful owner through the police. Our appreciation to him. Honesty rules.”
Ironically, Mr. Edison had been unable to pay the fees or purchase smart phones of his daughters who had stopped attending online classes in a private school.
Urapakkam resident V. Thangam thanked Mr. Edison after receiving her lost handbag and cash which was meant for payment of her daughter’s college fees. “I never expected I would find the bag and money. I came to know that the person who found the bag was poor. But he was honest. So I gifted him cash,” said Ms. Thangam.
Mr. Edison said he joined the private conservancy operator Urbaser Sumeet eight months ago for a monthly wage of ₹9,000 after he lost his source of livelihood in the lockdown. He was a trader. “The lockdown had caused a debt of ₹3 lakh. So I was unable to pay school fees,” said Mr. Edison.
He starts early in the morning from his house in BRN Garden in Broadway to reach West Mambalam before 7 a.m. to drive his battery operated vehicle to collect trash. “I segregate 180 kg vegetables waste every day. I take it to Kannamapet for composting. I collect waste from 800 houses and market areas of West Mambalam. I like the job because a few residents in the locality like me. The residents have planned to conduct a meeting to felicitate workers like me,” he said.