VISHAKAPATNAM: An independent expert committee should conduct a comprehensive assessment of the proposed AI data centres around Visakhapatnam and place its findings in the public domain, speakers at a national-level public meeting demanded on Sunday.
“The assessment should cover land allotments, water and power requirements, environmental impacts, public consultations, local employment, government incentives and data security,” they emphasised.
The meeting, organised by Green Visakha at the Alluri Sitarama Raju Vignana Kendram in Dabagardens, focused on the proposed data centre projects with a combined capacity of around 6,500 MW.
Retired IAS officer EAS Sarma, Swatch AP member Sripath Roy, Human Rights Forum member V.S. Krishna and Madras High Court advocate D. Nagasailaja addressed the meeting.
The speakers said they were not opposed to investment or digital infrastructure, but stressed that public resources should not be committed without assessing their long-term implications for local communities and the environment.
EAS Sarma called for an independent water audit, taking into account Visakhapatnam’s drinking water needs, irrigation requirements, future population growth and industrial demand.
Any proposal to divert water from Polavaram or local reservoirs for data centres should be reconsidered until drinking water security is ensured, he maintained.
Swatch AP member Sripath Roy said AI data centres would require substantial computing capacity and continuous power, besides cooling systems to manage the heat generated.
The government should disclose the quantity and source of water required for cooling, the extent of recycling and the likely impact on local water resources, he pointed out.
Human Rights Forum member V.S. Krishna questioned the adequacy of public disclosure and consultations on projects of such scale. He observed that the government should clarify the differing capacities and project details.
Madras High Court advocate Nagasailaja raised concerns over environmental clearances, including project size, water consumption and diesel storage for backup power. She called for independent scrutiny of environmental reports and greater transparency on the data centres to be set up.
