New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Center not to allow the construction of Mekedatu Dam by the Karnataka government.This comes days after the Congress-led Karnataka government proposed to build the Mekedatu Dam project on the Cauvery river.In the letter, Vijay said the project proposed by Karnataka is a “clear violation” of the Supreme Court judgement. He also expressed concern over the remarks of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.Earlier on Monday, Vijay chaired a meeting to uphold “state rights” and protect the welfare of farmers.“Taking into account the details of the Supreme Court judgment and detailed legal advice, CM Vijay advised that immediate follow-up legal measures should be taken expeditiously,” a statement issued by the Tamil Nadu government said.The statement further said that since the proposed Mekedatu Dam is contrary to the Supreme Court judgment, the then Tamil Nadu government had filed petitions in the apex court on November 30, 2018 and June 7, 2022, opposing the project.It further said that during the hearing held on November 13, 2025, the Supreme Court had not given permission for the Mekedatu Dam and had observed that the project is in the initial stage. The court also said that only the expert body, the Central Water Commission, can determine whether the project falls within the scope of its earlier decision or not, and accordingly ordered closure of the cases.Vijay’s meeting came after Shivakumar said that the detailed project report (DPR) for Mekedatu would be submitted to the Center soon, adding that the foundation stone ceremony would be planned after getting the central government’s approval.Shivakumar told reporters, “The DPR for the Mekedatu project has been prepared, and a project office has been opened. We are identifying alternative land to compensate for the forest area that is going to be submerged. The DPR will be submitted to the Center soon. After getting the Centre’s approval, we will conduct the bhoomi puja for the project.”Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry have long been in dispute over the waters of the Kaveri River, with the issue being particularly sensitive in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and sometimes triggering violent protests.