Google’s planned Indian data centre hub in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh is facing opposition from environmentalists over concerns about water supplies and wildlife. The $15 billion project, which is Google’s biggest-ever investment in India, has been hailed as historic and transformational by the state government, but activists argue that it will strain water availability and harm local wildlife.

Environmental Concerns

The project is located near a wildlife sanctuary that is home to leopards and pangolins, and activists are concerned that the construction of the data centre will disrupt the habitat of these animals. Additionally, the project requires huge quantities of water to cool its servers, which could further strain the already stressed water supply in the city of Visakhapatnam.

According to the state government, the city receives 410 million litres of water a day from its reservoirs and rivers, against a requirement of 480 million. Rationing of water supplies is common in the city, which has a population of 2.5 million people.

Protests and Legal Challenges

Activists and local residents have been protesting against the project, with some holding banners that read ‘We cannot drink DATA’. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has also been approached by an activist group, Jal Biradari, which has filed a public interest litigation against the project. The court has asked the government to defend against the allegations and will hear the case on August 24.

Google has said that its project will be developed in line with applicable laws and that it will implement ‘advanced air cooling to protect vital local water resources’. The company has also partnered with Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s group, which will build the project.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.