Former minister and senior Congress leader Capt Ajay Yadav has come out strongly against the government’s proposal to lay a 40-km pipeline to divert wastewater from the Masani Barrage, calling it a “waste of public money.”

Reacting to the plan, Yadav said the issue could be resolved at a fraction of the cost by upgrading existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) and linking them directly to drain number-8 in Rewari. “Currently, wastewater from five operational STPs in Rewari, Kaluwas and Dharuhera is being discharged into the Masani Barrage. By improving their quality and connecting them to drain number-8, the problem can be solved without such an expensive project,” he said.

Highlighting the long-standing impact of pollution, Yadav said contaminated water from the barrage has been damaging crops and harming rural communities for years. “Contaminated water continues to destroy crops in adjoining villages and has become a cause of serious illnesses like cancer, respiratory diseases and skin disorders,” he said.

The Congress leader insisted that only canal water and rainwater should be allowed into the barrage to help recharge groundwater in nearby villages. He also credited his son, former MLA Chiranjeev Rao, for consistently raising the issue in the Assembly during his tenure, though he lamented the “lack of decisive action from the government.”

“I also met Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and raised the issue before him. I proposed a practical solution to directly connect the water from the existing STPs to drain number-8. The CM had agreed to the suggestion,” Yadav said, questioning the financial and practical feasibility of the pipeline project.

Warning of political action if the matter is ignored, he said: “If the government continues to delay or take a half-hearted approach, the Congress will take this issue from the streets to the Assembly, standing with the people for a cleaner, healthier environment.”

Yadav further demanded that chemical-laced water from industrial belts such as Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) and Dharuhera (Rewari) also be diverted to drain number-8 to prevent further contamination of the barrage and adjoining areas.