Officials to oversee merger of 42 local bodies

CHENNAI: The jurisdiction of the Chennai Corporation will encompass 42 local bodies - 19 in Kancheepuram district and 23 in Tiruvallur district.  Although a government order to that effect had been issued in December 2009, the merger of the 42 local bodies with the Chennai Corporation is yet to be officially announced.Notwithstanding that, the state government has already appointed two nodal officers to oversee the smooth transition of the proposed merger. According to sources, on the request of the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, who is the special officer for the city expansion, the State government on Friday, appointed two nodal officers (in the cadres of DROs) to monitor the systematic inclusion of the 42 local bodies, totalling 200 wards, with the corporation.The officers will coordinate with the soon to be merged local bodies in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, to ensure the smooth formation of the new mega Chennai corporation combing a massive area of 426 sq km, from the existing 174 sq km.The government-appointed officials, Muthu and Sivagnanam, will collect all the data that would be required for the corporation.They will also coordinate with the 42 local bodies that are to be merged with the civic body from the neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.The nodal officers are mandated to oversee the preparation of electoral rolls, assessing existing workforce and infrastructure in their respective local bodies. As per government proposal, the city limit for the mega Chennai Corporation will start from Edayanchavadi village panchayat coming under Tiruvallur district.It will then go up to the suburban Uthandi village panchayat in Kancheepuram district.The nodal officers are also mandated to submit a report to the Chennai Corporation Commissioner within a few weeks.