Merchants’ association helps unite owners with lost articles

UDHAGAMANDALAM: The Coonoor

Merchants

’ Association (CMA) has been rendering

yeoman

’s service for over two decades by alerting locals and tourists about lost cash and valuable items.


CMA has returned as many as 2,300 articles found within the

Coonoor

town area, besides the prime zone, the Coonoor municipal market.

Announcement made using a loudspeaker installed within the office premises alert the owners of lost or misplaced items.

Also, after the Nilgiris was declared a plastic-free district, the association facilitates people conducting functions by lending silver plates and tumblers for free.

“Our office has become a popular landmark due to our service to the public over the years. People, who lose their belongings and people who find missing articles, approach us.” CMA president R Parameswaran told TOI. “Besides handing over articles including cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 30lakh, we have also reunited as many as 150 children, who were lost in the crowd, with their parents.”

“With 1,000 shops, the Coonoor municipal market is always crowded with at least 5,000 people. The announcements would reach at least 10,000 people,” he said.

The association had installed 16 CCTV cameras on all the eight entrances of the market two years ago. It also maintains a log book to record the details of missing and received articles.

Unclaimed articles including vehicle keys and purses are stored safely. “We wait for three months for the owners of unclaimed money. Then it is deposited in a bank account and utilized for the welfare of the workers in the market,” said Parameswaran, who is also the state president of the Municipal Shop Owners’ Welfare Association. “We also meticulously follow the rules in connection with plastic ban in the district and regularly conduct awareness programmes for merchants.”

The CMA has also formed a group of blood donors. “In case of an emergency, our donors will rush to donate blood. Even tourists have benefited by the initiative,” CMA secretary MA Raheem said.