Bengaluru, July 8 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday lashed out at the state's Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), reminding them that they are not maharajas but public servants and warning them that if the spread of dengue cases is not contained, higher officers will also be held responsible for negligence and apathy.

Addressing the meeting of DCs and CEOs at the Conference Hall of the Vidhana Soudha here, he said: "If Deputy Commissioners feel that they are maharajas, development and progress are not possible. Both politicians and bureaucrats are public servants, and with this in mind, they should serve the people."

He said that the work on containing dengue cases should be taken up on a war footing and the DCs and District Health Officers (DHOs) must work in coordination with taluk-level officers and act swiftly. Until now, action has been initiated against lower-rung officers for negligence and apathy and from now on, action will be taken against senior officers, Siddaramaiah said.

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“Many deaths were reported from the consumption of contaminated water. If these cases recur, action will be initiated against senior officers," he stressed.

“Karnataka is a model state in good governance, and there is a responsibility on everyone to uphold this honour. I am receiving 15,000 to 20,000 petitions during public grievance meetings. If the officers had looked into them, I would not have received such a huge number of petitions. The DCs and CEOs who attend public grievance meetings are merely endorsing the complaint copies. Are you here to do just this?" the CM said.

However, Siddaramaiah said: "I have not called this meeting to criticise officers. This is a review meeting."