Google Faces Growing Opposition Over India Data Center Water Use

Construction is underway for Google's planned Indian data centre hub, a USD 15 billion investment. The site, located on a hillside above Visakhapatnam, has been cleared and terraced. This development faces opposition from environmental groups, creating hurdles for the U.S. tech giant.

Credit: reuters

The southern state of Andhra Pradesh, an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has denied claims that the project was fast-tracked without proper assessment of risks to local water supplies and wildlife. The state government previously praised the undertaking. Mounting opposition poses an early test for Google's largest Indian investment, which faces legal challenges over its environmental impact and proximity to a wildlife sanctuary.

And activists have engaged in public demonstrations. Recent weeks saw activists and children march through Visakhapatnam city, displaying banners stating "We cannot drink DATA" and illustrating handcuffs on the Google logo, according to social media reports. Activists recently convened a public meeting, outlining plans for future house to house awareness campaigns and shoreline protests.

Raja Rama Mohan Roy, founder of Green Visakha, a not for profit organisation, spoke at an event where he presented figures regarding Visakhapatnam's water situation. He noted that the city currently receives 410 million litres of water daily from its reservoirs and rivers against a requirement of 480 million litres. Water rationing is common for the city's 2.5 million residents.

The state's highest court instructed the government to respond to allegations from activist group Jal Biradari (Water Community). This group asserts the project will strain water availability by drawing heavily from a nearby reservoir. The Andhra Pradesh High Court will hear the public interest litigation later this month.

But the construction of large data centres is drawing global scrutiny for their considerable consumption of water, used for cooling servers, and electricity. The environmental impact is particularly pronounced in developing nations like India. Opponents in the United States conducted 142 protests across 42 states in a recent July, raising comparable environmental issues.

The state government, in a statement to Reuters, described the activists' concerns about the project as incorrect and misleading. It also confirmed its openness to feedback. It noted that such protests constitute a democratic right and pledged that if any claims were legitimate, the government would provide factual clarifications and suitable resolution.

Google issued a statement confirming its project would be developed in compliance with all applicable laws. The company further stated it would implement advanced air cooling technologies to safeguard vital local water resources. Work at the site continued during a recent visit, with earthmovers operating on the exposed ground.

And the U.S. tech giant has collaborated with the Indian billionaire Gautam Adani's group to construct this significant project. This project is projected to generate up to 188,000 jobs. Adani's group did not respond to queries regarding the project.

The public interest litigation also expresses concern that construction and noise will affect the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary, situated merely 860 metres from the site, is home to various species including leopards and pangolins. The state asserted the site's distance from the sanctuary exceeds legal requirements.

Google also stated it would implement sound dampening measures, aiming to be a quiet neighbour. The project faces three additional legal challenges filed at India's environmental court by the Human Rights Forum. These lawsuits argue the state approved the project without properly assessing water draw implications from a rural drinking water scheme, court documents show.

The state government reiterated that water for rural or residential purposes would not be diverted for the new data centres. Furthermore, the nearby water reservoir would also not be utilised by the project. Green Visakha expressed concern about the government's promise of "guaranteed" water supplies to the project for two decades, given the city's existing shortages. Roy questioned who would suffer.

• Google's USD 15 billion data centre project in India faces environmental opposition.

• Concerns primarily involve strain on local water supplies and potential impact on wildlife.

• The Andhra Pradesh state government denies allegations of fast-tracking without proper risk assessment.

• Activist groups have initiated multiple legal challenges and public protests.

• Google affirms adherence to regulations and plans for water conservation and noise mitigation.

Source: Reuters