Permit axing wild trees in tank beds, Karnataka Minister told

: Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar Thursday directed the state government to immediately give permission for the removal of wild mesquite trees from the tank beds.

His directive came in response to a query by BJP MLA P Rajeev during question hour in the Assembly on funds allocated to minor irrigation department and various programmes undertaken for the development of tanks in different parts of the state.

"Order all mesquite trees in the tank beds be removed immediately. Lakes are like our mother, seeing these wild thorny trees, I feel thorns are being inflicted on her. Give permission to people to cut them, they are ready to do it," a visibly upset Kumar told Minor Irrigation minister C S Puttaraju.

Concurring with several MLAs that the government departments, especially the forest department, were opposed to public removing such thorny mesquite trees from the tank beds, he told the Minister: "Allow people, they will do it, instead of you spending money on it."