New corporation commissioner to focus on takes charge, plans to turn spotlight on sanitation

COIMBATORE: The city's third corporation commissioner in as many months took charge on Thursday. K Vijay Karthikeyan, 28, who completed his MBBS before joining the Indian Administrative Service in 2011, is the youngest commissioner the city has had.
Before joining Coimbatore corporation, Karthikeyan served as sub collector in Kovilpatti from September 2013.He trained in Erode as an assistant collector from June 2012 to May 2013, when S Ganesh, the previous corporation commissioner, was the district revenue officer there. "Since I am a doctor, ensuring sanitation and cleanliness of the city is among my priorities," Karthikeyan told reporters after assuming charge. There are challenges galore for the new commissioner, especially at a time when irregularities are surfacing in several ongoing projects in the city.
Besides stemming corruption in solid waste management, improving basic infrastructure especially in the suburbs and streamlining use of funds, Karthikeyan has
to ensure effective implementation of the multi-crore projects announced by former CM J Jayalalithaa during the mayoral elections.
"I will know the problems faced by the city only after I meet people. I will decide my course of action based on that," said Karthikeyan. "I am aware that there are several projects in the pipeline. I would make sure that all projects are implemented properly," he said.
Councillors said the commissioner should speed up projects, which are progressing at a snail's pace. "Frequent transfers of commissioners has slowed the projects in the city," said A Nandhakumar, leader of the opposition in the Coimbatore corporation council. While former corporation commissioner G Latha was transferred in August, her successor S Ganesh was shifted last week, making Vijay Karthikeyan the third commissioner to serve the city in three months. Councillors said many files have been kept pending due to frequent transfers. Both Latha and Ganesh dug out irregularities and brought to book contractors, and this is said to be the reason they were transferred.