6 days ago
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G.S. Sameeran, a 2012-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, assumed complaint arsenic Commissioner of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) connected Tuesday. Notably, helium antecedently served arsenic the GCC’s Joint Commissioner from 2023 to 2024.
An MBBS postgraduate from the University of Kerala, Dr. Sameeran holds a postgraduate diploma successful municipality biology absorption and instrumentality from the National Law University, Delhi.
He began his IAS vocation arsenic Assistant Collector (Training) successful Thoothukudi territory successful 2013, past was appointed Sub-Collector successful Paramakudi, Director of Fisheries, and Collector of Tenkasi (2020-21) and Coimbatore (2021-23). Prior to his existent position, helium served arsenic Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board. He has besides won nationalist awards for his enactment successful assorted fields.
Here are the edited excerpts from his interrogation with The Hindu:
The GCC had recorded ₹1,602 crore successful its 2026-27 Budget. What volition beryllium the steps taken to compensate for past deficits and outstanding contractor debts?
There volition beryllium a elaborate reappraisal of the gross and money presumption of the section assemblage connected May 20. We volition beryllium concentrating connected GCC’s own-source revenues and caller revenue-generating mechanisms similar advertisements and determination are upcoming Public-Private Partnership projects successful the pipeline. Apart from this, outsourcing autobus bays and identifying unassessed oregon under-assessed properties volition besides beryllium pursued to prolong the section body’s expenditure.
You were formerly the Joint Commissioner (Works). Now, however volition you prioritise infrastructure projects similar stormwater drains, roadworthy relaying, and monsoon preparedness arsenic Commissioner?
On May 20, I volition person a wide reappraisal of each the interior departments. I volition person a preliminary reappraisal of the presumption of each the works, including stormwater drains, different gathering works, and monsoon preparedness works. A elaborate reappraisal volition beryllium charted successful the coming days.
What volition beryllium your imaginativeness for flood mitigation and the Cooum and Adyar River projects?
The attraction of a fewer canals, specified arsenic the Otteri Nullah, Jafferkhanpet Canal, and the Captain Cotton Canal, has been handed implicit to the GCC from the PWD. The GCC volition statesman desiltation, bund strengthening, and flood mitigation works earlier the monsoon sets in. In immoderate places, culverts request to beryllium raised. The GCC has besides taken up the revamping of galore ponds, which volition beryllium completed, including those successful Ramapuram, adjacent Padavattamman Temple, and h2o bodies successful Kadappakkam and Korattur. Flood mitigation and clearing the channels volition beryllium the archetypal priority. Beautification of the h2o bodies, including the rivers, volition beryllium the adjacent stage. Bringing them into nationalist usage by mounting up parks, walkways, etc., volition beryllium done subsequently.
Complaints regarding encroachments person been constant. What enactment volition beryllium taken?
Outright and imperishable encroachments connected authorities spot by mode of operation volition decidedly beryllium dealt with an robust manus and treated earnestly with ineligible action. On the different hand, everyone wants a beauteous metropolis without hindrance to pedestrians and traffic, but the livelihood of the radical who beryllium connected thoroughfare vending besides needs to beryllium considered. GCC volition spot however champion this tin beryllium handled by rehabilitating radical and creating pedestrian and transport-friendly streets and pathways. This volition impact consulting stakeholders for rehabilitation and making arrangements without damaging livelihoods overnight.
