Harinarayanan assumes charge as new civic chief

Visakhapatnam: Project Officer of Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) M Harinarayanan took charge as new commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) here on Wednesday.

Soon after taking the charge, Harinarayanan told reporters that his priority would be to address the public issues and focus on the faster development of the corporation and reach the Smart City targets with team work. The city would be developed taking the civic needs and citizens’ aspirations into consideration, he added.

Harinarayanan, who joined as project officer, ITDA, Paderu on January 19, 2015, earned a name in serving the poor tribals by attending to their needs. He encouraged the coffee growers by opening official coffee seed collection centres in association with the GCC without the involvement of middlemen. Road connectivity, education and medicare were also given equal importance during his tenure in the Agency.

Later, a team of the GVMC Employees and Workers Union (recognised union of GVMC) comprising president P Ramesh, secretary general V V Vamana Rao, general secretary N Padmanabha Raju, additional general secretary Gondu Sitaram and committee members met the new commissioner.

Speaking to the delegation, Harinarayanan said that the cooperation of the recognised union is vital in transforming the city into a Smart City. Other union leaders G V Kumar, V Mallesh, K Yellaiah, Yella Rao, Pola Rao, Venkunaidu, Satyam, B Tata Rao and Parasaiah were also present.

Leaders of GVMC Contractors’ Association met the new Municipal Commissioner. The civic chief told the leaders that he would convene a meeting soon with all the contractors to take stock of the finished works and works that were in progress. Association general secretary Gompa Chandramouli, vice- president Shilar Shaik, organising secretary Sanapala Vara Pasad, joint secretaries R Sadhu Rao and Srinivasula Naidu, treasurer R Narasing Rao and members were present.