Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh Defends Vizag Data Centres, Says Misinformation Being Spread
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh has defended the state government’s decision to establish data centres in Visakhapatnam, saying that deliberate misinformation is being spread over their environmental impact and water requirements.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh has defended the state government’s decision to establish data centres in Visakhapatnam, saying that deliberate misinformation is being spread over their environmental impact and water requirements.
Lokesh said the proposed data-centre ecosystem would play an important role in strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s position in the AI-driven digital economy and supporting India’s data sovereignty.
Responding to concerns over water consumption, the minister said the proposed data centres would use water allocated for industrial purposes and would not divert supplies meant for Visakhapatnam’s residents.
He said the government plans to meet the city’s urban water requirements through the Polavaram project, with gravity-based water supply expected to be available within 18 months. Dedicated pipelines would also be provided for data centres, he added.
Lokesh said the proposed data-centre ecosystem could eventually reach a capacity of 6.5 GW. Based on current technology, such facilities could require around 3 TMC of water annually, although newer cooling technologies are expected to significantly reduce consumption.
The minister also compared data-centre water usage with that of thermal power plants, stating that a 1 GW thermal power plant consumes nearly 10 times more water annually than a data centre.
He said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had set a ceiling of 6.5 GW for data-centre allocations in the state and that the target had already been fully achieved.
Data centres are proposed in areas including Adavivaram-Mudasarlova, Tarluvada and Rambilli in Visakhapatnam.
The projects have, however, faced opposition from several citizens’ groups and Left parties, which have raised concerns over their potential impact on water resources, power availability, the environment and public health.
Lokesh said the state government would prioritise companies demonstrating strong environmental responsibility and maintained that the data-centre expansion would be undertaken without compromising the water requirements of Visakhapatnam’s residents.
