The Small Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) has sought clearance from the Forest department to remove the trees raised on a parcel of land, which had been earmarked for establishing an industrial park at Mahimaipuram near Jayamkondam.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin unveiled the plan of setting up the park at a function held in Ariyalur in November last year.

According to sources, the State government allotted 133 acres of land at Mahimaipuram in the boundary of the Jayamkondam municipality. A large number of eucalyptus trees have been grown on the land, which is classified as government poromboke land. Upon allotting the land, the SIPCOT took control of it so as to establish basic infrastructure such as roads, drinking water, street lights, electricity, and drainage.

It has asked the Forest Department to fix the value of the trees and is seeking permission to provide permission to remove them.

An official of the SIPCOT told The Hindu that once the Forest department figured out the total value of the trees, a tender would be floated to remove them after getting mandatory clearances. The SIPCOT would thereafter come up with a plan of creating all needed infrastructure. Similarly, a design would be prepared to divide the land into various plots for the small, micro, and medium industries.