VISAKHAPATNAM: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the High Court challenging the State government’s allotment of 160 acres of endowment land to M/s Vizag Hyperscale Data Centre Park Limited for a proposed data centre project near Visakhapatnam.
The petition, filed by environmental activist and Jal Biradari National Convenor Bolisetty Satyanarayana, contends that the land, spread across Survey No 275 of Adavivaram and Survey No 26 of Mudasarlova, belongs to the Simhachalam Devasthanam and should not have been transferred for commercial purposes.
The petitioner has alleged that the allotment violates environmental regulations, including the provisions relating to the Kambalakonda Eco-Sensitive Zone and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
It has also raised concerns over the project’s proximity to the Mudasarlova reservoir catchment, claiming that the development could have adverse ecological and environmental consequences.
The PIL has sought cancellation of the land allotment and the environmental clearance granted to the project.
It has also requested the court to direct the authorities to restore the land to the Simhachalam Devasthanam and restrain any construction activity until a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out. The matter is pending admission before the High Court.