Remove all acacia trees that disrupt power supply, Minister tells officials

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa, on Monday, directed the officers of the Forest Department to remove all acacia trees that were disrupting power supply in Shivamogga district.

There should not be fresh plantations of acacia and Nilgiri in the district, he told a meeting of officers in Shivamogga.

Reviewing steps taken to address rain havoc in the district, Mr. Eshwarappa, who is also Minister in-charge of that district, said that power supply was disrupted during heavy rain due to acacia trees. Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) officials had been finding it difficult to restore power supply.

“Such problems can be resolved only if both MESCOM and Forest Department work in coordination. The lack of coordination has caused many problems. If one tree falls, power lines connected to 10-15 electricity poles are disrupted,” he said.

The Minister instructed the Forest Department to identify the acacia trees along the power lines and remove them and said that there should not be any fresh plantations of acacia and Nilgiri in the district.

In Thirthahalli taluk, 314 electricity poles had fallen during heavy rain and so far, 116 had been replaced.

Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra, Karnataka Biodiversity Board chairman Anant Hegde Ashisar, Deputy Commissioner K.B. Shivakumar and others were present.