Following the announcement made by District Collector K. Elambahavath that dyeing and processing units will not be allowed in the integrated textile park, farmers and residents are demanding clarification on this issue.

The previous DMK government identified 119 acres of land at Jahir Ammapalayam in Salem to establish an integrated textile park at a cost of ₹880 crore. As part of the project, dyeing units were to be operated, under the name of Salem Yarn Colouring Park (SYCP), in the same location as the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). But alleging that the colouring park would affect the groundwater and farming in 40 villages in and around the park, farmers and villagers staged various protests over the past year, following which works of the textile park come to a halt, and only the administrative office was constructed.

Meanwhile, on Friday (July 24, 2026), the Collector announced that the State government had issued a new Government order (G.O.) stating that no permission had been granted for the dyeing units and that the land would be used only for textile-related works. Additionally, alternate land would be identified for the dyeing units. While farmers and residents welcomed this announcement, it also raised a few doubts.

Social activist K.V. Suseendra Kumar, who had opposed this project since the beginning, questioned if the government’s stance will remain the same even after five years, if the textile companies in the park requested permission for the dyeing unit. “While a sq. ft. is sold for ₹3,000 in that locality, the government provided the land for just ₹210 per sq. ft. and for a 99-year lease,” he added.

Mr. Kumar suggested that people should demand to shift the textile park to Bhavani or Erode, where more textile manufacturing units are functioning. “The land should be handed over to the Department of Mines again, and the State government should sell the magnesite available for generating revenue,” he said.

Salem Neer Aathara Pathukappu Iyakkam coordinator S.K. Moorthy said while there are a few doubts in the government’s announcement, it must be welcomed. In the grama sabha meeting held in 13 villages in and around the park, resolutions were passed against this park. He emphasised that the land’s price for the park was provided at a low cost compared to the price provided to establish a tidel park in the locality.

Mr. Moorthy noted that there was no proper response from the officials regarding the RTI application on the matter. He questioned what action would be taken against the officials responsible for this. “What if textile business owners requested a dyeing unit after five or ten years?” he said and added that a discussion will take place with the villagers and the Salem West Constituency MLA regarding the future course of action.