: 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."

Some MLAs even complained that officials lacked knowledge of difference between removing of silt from lakes and sand-mining, and were stopping people from removing silt and filing cases against those transporting the silt from the lake to their fields.

Responding to Speaker's directive, Minister Puttaraju said he has asked officials to remove the mesquite trees from the tank beds while removing illegal encroachment.

He said there were provisions under the 'Kere Sanjivini' scheme to remove such wild growth.

As the Speaker insisted that the Minister announce the grant of permission for people to remove such wild trees immediately, as they were not cutting rose wood or teak wood, Puttaraju said he would speak to the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and also officials and take immediate action.

The Speaker said, I can't say much from this position, but I think I should ask people to do it.

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