Kochi: When two Haritha Karma Sena workers of Kumbalangi panchayat in Kochi -- Jessy Varghese and Reena -- chanced upon a set of diamond necklace and earrings in plastic waste, they didn't have to think twice to return it to the owner. Two days ago when they were rewarded in cash for their honesty, again the women earned applause as they donated the money on the spot to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to help the families affected by Wayanad landslide.
When Onmanorama spoke to Jessy over phone, her voice was often drowned in laughter and quips from her colleagues who were heard saying '' Oh my God, Jessy chechi is a celebrity now."

The 53-year-old woman has been a waste collector for 10 years. Her husband, who was a driver, has been bed-ridden ever since he fell from a tree while trying to hang a Christmas star in 2014. She has been taking care of her family singlehandedly since then.

They found the ornaments in July. They hadn't been to a house for a month for routine collection of recyclable plastic waste. There were three sacks of waste. Reena and Jessy saw something wrapped in a plastic cover while sorting the waste. ''It was shining, I have only seen gold and I couldn't recognise what it was. But we knew the house where we collected it from and promptly returned it to the owners,'' says Jessy. 

The owners were so happy and thrilled, says Reena. ''They had lost it about a month ago and had been searching for that necklace. They even made an offering to the God to bring it back. When we gave it to them, they hugged us, they even asked us to wear it. We were all covered in sweat and we politely declined it. They told us that the necklace was worth Rs 4 lakh and a pair of earrings cost Rs 25,000 each. We felt good,'' said Reena, whose husband is a daily wage worker and has two children. 

Kochi MLA KJ Maxy gifted them cash reward for their honesty in a function organised by the panchayat. These women thanked the MLA and then returned the cash saying that he may give it as their donation towards the CMDRF. ''We find it as a blessing for the way our parents brought us up. Something that is not ours has to be returned. There is nothing more to it,'' said Reena.