தமிழக உழவர்களின் வாழ்வு செழிக்க முல்லைப் பெரியாறு அணையைக் கட்டிய பொறியாளர் கர்னல் ஜான் பென்னிகுயிக் அவர்களின் பிறந்தநாளான இன்று, அவரது நினைவைப்...

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid glowing tributes to British military engineer Colonel John Pennycuick on his birth anniversary, commemorating his historic role in constructing the Mullaperiyar dam that transformed the parched southern districts of Tamil Nadu into fertile agricultural landscapes. Recognizing the engineer's immense sacrifices to safeguard farmer welfare, Stalin announced that the state government will install a commemorative bronze statue of Colonel Pennycuick in his birthplace of Camberley in Surrey, England.

The Chief Minister recounted how Pennycuick overcame extreme geographical hazards, hostile weather conditions, and severe financial constraints, even selling his family property in Britain to complete the gravity dam across the Periyar river. The engineering marvel created a reliable irrigation reservoir that continues to sustain millions of farming families and provide drinking water across Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts. Stalin remarked that the farmer community in southern Tamil Nadu reveres Pennycuick like family.

Stalin emphasized that honoring Pennycuick overseas reflects the enduring gratitude of Tamil Nadu farmers toward visionary engineers who dedicated their lives to water security. He pledged that the state will continue defending its legal rights over Mullaperiyar with unwavering resolve.