Visakhapatnam Data Centres Will Not Use Drinking Water, Says Lokesh
· India · The Hindu, Economic Times, Reuters
Andhra Pradesh Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh told the state Assembly on Wednesday that planned data centres in Visakhapatnam will not draw water from municipal drinking supplies. Answering a question during the Monsoon session from Jana Sena MLA Lokam Naga Madhavi, Mr. Lokesh stated that the state's proposed 6.5 GW data centre ecosystem will require roughly 3 tmc ft of water annually. This volume will be drawn exclusively from the industrial allocation of Polavaram water rather than residential taps. He added that the government is committed to supplying Visakhapatnam's domestic needs from Polavaram by gravity within 18 months, utilizing separate pipelines dedicated to the data centres. Mr. Lokesh defended the project against environmental protests by noting that a 1 GW thermal power plant consumes nearly ten times more water annually than a data centre.
Why it matters
The clarification addresses public concerns over municipal resource allocation as multinational investments flow into Visakhapatnam, ensuring local drinking water supplies remain protected.
Read the original report — The Hindu
Join us on Telegram
Breaking news the moment it lands. At 10,000 members we ship the Android app.