Bengaluru: During the relief review meeting, Siddaramaiah sternly warned the officials for showing laxity in taking up relief works. “Get onto drought relief works or get out”, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah bawling at the bureaucrats on Tuesday September 1.

He further ordered regional commissioners, deputy commissioners and chief executive officers of zilla panchayats not to sanction long leave to officials drafted for drought relief works, except in cases of emergency. He also asked them to stop sending officials on training.

Expressing his displeasure at a couple of officers who were seen moving in and out of the meeting venue, the conference hall at the Vidhana Soudha, an angry chief minister is said to have said that the meeting “is not child’s play”, and ordered the officials to issue a notice to the those who did not turn up for the meeting.

He directed the officials to take steps to supply drinking water. “The state government had recently released Rs 350 crore and on Wednesday, an additional Rs 165 crore will be released”, he added stating not to delay works due to shortage of funds.