HYDERABAD: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has urged that the state government suspend existing commitments and refrain from making fresh ones for hyperscale artificial intelligence (AI) data centres until independent assessments establish that their water and energy requirements will not compromise drinking water supplies, agriculture and ecological needs.
In a statement, HRF questioned the government’s push for large-scale AI infrastructure at a time when Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has warned of water scarcity and urged farmers to defer a crop cycle to conserve water for drinking purposes. The forum also cited reports of a water emergency declared by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).
HRF called for an assessment of the cumulative impact of existing and proposed data centre projects, with findings made publicly available and consultations held with affected communities. It also sought enforceable limits on resource consumption rather than reliance solely on assurances about water recycling and sustainable cooling technologies.
The forum said hyperscale AI data centres require substantial electricity to operate round the clock, while their cooling systems can consume significant quantities of water. Their overall water footprint also includes water used to generate the electricity they consume, it said, adding that the impact would depend on cooling technologies, operating conditions and the sources of water and power.
HRF questioned the state’s proposed target of establishing 5 GW of AI data centre capacity by 2029, asking how the additional electricity demand would be met without affecting households, agriculture and other sectors.
It also sought clarity on how the government proposed to meet the facilities’ round-the-clock power requirements, including through the proposed dual-grid supply arrangements.
