During his inaugural visit to Delhi as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express concerns regarding the Mekedatu reservoir project proposed by Karnataka on the Cauvery river. In his letter, Vijay highlighted that the project's initiation has caused anxiety among Tamil Nadu farmers dependent on the river for their livelihoods. He questioned the Central Water Commission's consideration of Karnataka's Detailed Project Report (DPR), arguing it contradicts the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award and Supreme Court rulings on water sharing. The Mekedatu project, estimated to cost ₹14,000 crore, aims to construct a reservoir that would store 67.16 TMC of water and generate 400 MW of hydroelectricity. Karnataka defends the initiative as necessary for Bengaluru’s water supply and drought management, while Tamil Nadu opposes it, fearing it would grant Karnataka excessive control over the river's flow. The Supreme Court has deemed Tamil Nadu's legal challenges premature, as the DPR is still under review.