Tamil Nadu govt will erect Pennicuick statue in London: Stalin

Tamil Nadu government has slated to erect a statue for Col John Pennicuick, who constructed the Mullaiperiyar Dam, in his native Britain.

In an announcement made in this regard on Saturday, Chief Minister M K Stalin said, “I am delighted to announce on his birthday (January 15) that a new statue will be erected for Colonel John Pennicuick at Camberley City Central Park in London in native England for constructing Mullaiperiyar Dam, the lifeline of south Tamil Nadu, amid numerous hardships using his money.”

Tamils living in London have obtained the permission of St Peter’s Cathedral in accordance with British Law to erect his statue in his native Camberley in London, Stalin added. Through his dedication, hard work, and technical expertise, British engineer Col John Pennicuick had constructed the dam across the Periyar River in 1895 and fulfilled the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram. The livelihood of people in the districts changed and flourished with 2.19 lakh acre land being irrigated now, he said.

After the British government did not further fund the dam construction, Pennicuick went to Britain, sold his ancestral estates, and completed the project through his persistent efforts, courage, and determination, Stalin said.

'Will never give up TN’s rights on Dam'

Recalling the unveiling of Pennicuick statue on PWD campus at Thallakulam in Madurai on June 15, 2000, by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi and later at Lower Camp in Theni as a tribute to the British colonel, Stalin asserted that the state government was making all efforts to increase the water level of the dam to 152ft by advancing strong arguments before the Supreme Court and High Court besides the water commission and higher institutions of the union government.

“Let us resolve on martyr Col John Pennicuick’s birthday that our government will make continuous efforts to secure and never give up our state’s rights of Mullaiperiyar Dam, taking in to account the long-term water woes of southern districts,” the CM added.