Google's $15 billion India data center project battles water, wildlife concerns

Construction is underway for Google's planned Indian data center hub, a massive $15 billion investment, but environmentalists are raising significant concerns. Activists are protesting the project's potential impact on water supplies and its proximity to a wildlife sanctuary, home to leopards and pangolins. Protests have included marches and social media campaigns with slogans like "We cannot drink DATA."

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Development should not be at the cost of the livelihood of the people.

The state government, an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has hailed the project as historic but denies claims of fast-tracking without risk assessment. Activists, like Raja Rama Mohan Roy of non-profit Green Visakha, argue that development should not come at the cost of people's livelihoods, highlighting Visakhapatnam's existing water supply deficit. The city of 2.5 million people already faces water rationing.

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Such protests are their democratic right. In case any of these claims are legitimate, government is committed to engage and provide factual clarifications and suitable redressal.

The state's top court has asked the government to respond to allegations that the project will strain water availability. While the government maintains activists' concerns are "incorrect and misleading," it also stated it is "committed to engage and provide factual clarifications and suitable redressal." Google has stated the project will comply with laws and use "advanced air cooling to protect vital local water resources."

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Such protests are their democratic right. In case any of these claims are legitimate, government is committed to engage and provide factual clarifications and suitable redressal.

The project, a partnership with Gautam Adani's group, is expected to create up to 188,000 jobs. However, the growing opposition and legal challenges could pose an early test for Google's largest India investment, mirroring similar pushback against data centers globally for their high water and electricity consumption.

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Such protests are their democratic right. In case any of these claims are legitimate, government is committed to engage and provide factual clarifications and suitable redressal.