Google’s $15B Indian Data Center Confronts Legal Challenges Over Environmental Concerns
Google’s most ambitious infrastructure project outside the United States is facing a rough ride. The tech giant’s proposed $15 billion AI data center hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, a collaboration with Adani Group, is grappling with escalating legal issues and public protests due to environmental apprehensions.
The controversy primarily revolves around two factors: water consumption and wildlife impact. Activists contend that the colossal 1-gigawatt data center campus will put pressure on local water resources in a city already grappling with water scarcity. The project site is located a mere 860 meters from the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, a haven for leopards and pangolins, triggering worries about construction noise and ecological disruption.
In recent weeks, residents and children have taken to the streets of Visakhapatnam, brandishing banners that read “We cannot drink DATA” and painting handcuffs on the Google logo. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has requested the state government to respond to a public interest litigation filed by activist group Jal Biradari (Water Community), with the next hearing slated for August 24. Three more cases have been lodged at India’s environmental court by the Human Rights Forum, calling for a halt to construction.
Google has responded by stating its intention to employ advanced air cooling to minimize water usage and sound-dampening technology to reduce disruption. The Andhra Pradesh government, an ally of Modi, has defended the project, touting it as historic and capable of generating up to 188,000 jobs, while dismissing activists’ concerns as misleading.
Source: Free Press Journal | Reuters via The Star