Effluents from textile units – processing plants in four districts of Tamil Nadu could turn out to be a major environmental concern.

At a review meeting in Namakkal to discuss measures for establishing Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in Erode, Salem, Namakkal and Karur districts, Tamil Nadu’s minister for handloom and textiles S. Gokula Indira said 1,205 textile units were functioning with the consent of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), while 885 units were functioning without obtaining permission.

Out of 2,090 textile processing units in Erode, Salem, Namakkal and Karur districts, less than half (1,007) have expressed their consent for establishing CETPs, the minister said.

Though Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa had announced setting up of CETPs at Rs. 700 crore in August 11, 2014, additional funds would be requested based on the detailed project report to be submitted by the Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company Limited.

Industries minister P. Thangamani and highways minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami who also attended the meeting, said the projects were aimed at long-term for growth of the sector and urged all the unit owners to be members of the projects.

But textile processing unit owners said there were difficulties in purchasing land for CETP in Salem and they were also facing financial constraints in contributing 25 per cent of the project cost.