Cleaning polluted rivers my first priority:Badal
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday confirned that BJP didn't consult the Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) before announcing two candidates for two Punjab Lok Sabha seats but he said that SAD has no objection to it.

Badal told newsmen, "We welcome the BJP decision since the two seats of Amritsar and Gurdaspur are from BJP quota".  He stated that it was for BJP to decide the candidates. BJP is alliance partner of SAD in Punjab. BJP had last week announced the names of sitting MP's Navjot Singh Sidhu and Vinod Khanna for Amritsar and Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seats. The announcement had stunned the SAD leaders who read the report in newspapers next morning.

Badal also evaded reply to a question that would Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat, held by BJP would be replaced with some other seat ?. He said that SAD has not yet discussed issue of seat allotment because no final dates of election is announced so far. He also denied that newly created Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat is allotted to Kamal Chaudhary former BJP and Congress MP who had joined SAD.

Chief Minister hailed the SAD-BJP victory in MC elections and said that people had voted for performance. He said that violence in such local level elections was a natural phenomena. "Such incidents keep happening", he added. He said that Congress which is divided house due to internal fighting are finding an excuse to cover their defeat. "We are peace loving people and respect the democratic values", he added.

Replying to allegations by PPCC president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal that blue terrorism had gripped the state, Badal said, "We know about the blue or white revolution and never heard of blue terrorism". Bhattal had  used the term blue terrorism referring to blue shade of turbans worn by Akalis.

Badal said that state government had not yet taken any decision on imposing fresh taxes like property tax in urban areas. No cabinet meeting is held and he was not aware of any such move", he stated.

He said that newly elected Sarpanchs would be administered the oath of office on June 11 at all district headquarters in the presence of minister in charge of the district.

Replying to another question Badal said that his first priority was to save the rivers from pollution of all kinds. "I have taken strong view of pollution caused by industrial units and other means", he said. Badal assured that strict measures would be taken to safe the water resources from pollution.

He also announced that four thermal plants would be set up within this year. The center government had already given approval for the Goindwal Sahib thermal plant.

Badal said that Punjab had not received any funds from Haryana for the Mohali International airport though Haryana was partner in the MoU. He said that Punjab government had already made the payment to farmers whose land was acquired. No Haryana pays its share or not would not effect the status of the airport, he concluded.