Textile units’ owners in Rajasthan and the government are at odds over the cost of setting up a common effluent treatment plant. The plant is estimated to cost around Rs 120 crores but mills say they don't have this much money and have urged the government to set up the plant. The court has asked the state and the Centre to share 50 per cent of the cost while the textile units’ owners would bear the remaining 50 per cent cost. Effluent treatment plants are designed to treat effluents coming from different processes of the plant. The treatment of different effluents varies with the type of effluent. Water effluent treatment systems are designed to treat effluents.

The issue of a common effluent treatment plant has been pending since 2003 when the high court had instructed owners to set up the plant. Later, the Supreme Court had also asked them to follow orders. In 2014, after receiving the environmental clearance from the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, the owners gave their consent to set up the plant.

As per a study conducted in 2012, a total of 650 units were functional in the Sanganer region, discharging 12.3 MLD of effluents. However, officials maintain that the actual figure is much higher. They say that more than 17 MLD effluents are being discharged.