Villagers oppose yarn colouring park in Salem

Residents of more than 40 villages in and around the integrated textile park at Jahir Ammapalayam in Salem district alleged that the proposed colouring park would pollute the groundwater and water bodies. But the colouring park administration has denied the allegations.

The work for an integrated textile park at a cost of ₹880 crore in 119 acres of land at Jahir Ammapalayam has been ongoing for the past eight months. A total of 50 dyeing units are to be operated in the park under the Salem Yarn Colouring Park (SYCP) in the same place along with the common effluent treatment plant (CETP), which will pollute the groundwater and the water bodies. On Thursday (November 6, 2025), people residing at various villages near the park hoisted black flags in their houses against the colouring park.

K.V. Suseendra Kumar, advisor of the Salem People Welfare Association, said that in the name of the textile park, yarn colouring park works are taking place. Without the consent of the people living in the locality, this colouring park work is going on. Over 4,000 acres of farmland and drinking water sources would be affected. He added that drinking water is being supplied to the Salem Corporation from this locality, which will affect them as well.

Mr. Kumar said that through the effluents from this colouring park, health will be severely affected. “This yarn colouring comes under the red category of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),” he alleged. On Friday (November 7, 2025), Ministers will be here for the inauguration of the administrative building of the colouring park. We will meet the Ministers there and will demand stoppage of works immediately, Mr. Kumar added.

Denying these allegations, the administration of the SYCP, in a release, claimed that the SYCP is a greenery project and provides job opportunities for 15,000 people. The project is coming up with world-class technology with a ₹200 crore investment and a capacity of 10 MLD CETP with zero liquid discharge (ZLD). The effluents will be treated in the park and used again.

The administration added that no borewell will be dug for this project and two MLD water from Mankuttai sewage treatment plant (STP) will be used and this will prevent 100% pollution in Thirumanimutharu. If this project is dropped, four to five lakh people in the textile-related business will lose their jobs. Through SYCP, over 50,000 handloom and powerloom weavers would be benefited.

A single drop of effluent water would not go outside the park nor to the ground, river or ponds. This project will be monitored directly by the district administration and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). Salem district will be recognised as the first district with 100% ZLD in a textile park, the SYCP administration added.