Why are mega data centre projects facing stiff resistance?, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Residents in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra are protesting against proposed mega data center projects by Raiden Infotech India Pvt. Ltd. (a Google company with Adani Infra/AdaniConneX) and Amazon, respectively.
• The opposition primarily stems from concerns over the significant strain these projects would place on local water and power resources.
• Environmental impact on sensitive ecosystems and limited local benefits are also major points of contention.
• Citizen groups in Thane plan to file a petition with the National Green Tribunal regarding Amazon's project.

Detailed Insights:

• In Andhra Pradesh, the Raiden Infotech India Pvt. Ltd. project, a 1GW AI data center hub, is planned across 601 acres in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli district.
• The Amazon hyperscale data center in Thane, a ₹7,203.29-crore project on 53.73 acres, is facing resistance due to discrepancies in water usage data and lack of public consultation.
• Data centers, especially hyperscale facilities, are highly resource-intensive, consuming millions of gallons of water daily primarily for cooling, comparable to the usage of a small city.
• These facilities also demand substantial electricity, with AI-focused centers potentially using as much power as 100,000 homes or more.
• Critics highlight that India's power grid is largely fossil-fuel dependent, meaning increased data center energy consumption could lead to higher carbon emissions.
• Environmental concerns include threats to the Kambalakonda Eco-Forest, Rambilli Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Mudasarlova reservoir, a vital drinking water source.
• Local communities express frustration over limited permanent employment opportunities and ancillary industry development, despite providing land and incentives.
• The National Green Tribunal is a specialized judicial body established to handle environmental disputes and enforce environmental laws, offering a legal recourse for environmental grievances.
• While various states have policies to attract data center investments, the regulatory framework for environmental impact assessment and monitoring often remains fragmented and weak.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Hyperscale Data Center: A large-scale data center designed to efficiently scale computing and storage resources, typically housing thousands of servers and consuming vast amounts of power and water.
• National Green Tribunal (NGT): A statutory body established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of natural resources.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): A process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural, and human-health impacts.
• Super El Niño: A particularly strong manifestation of the El Niño climate pattern, often associated with extreme weather events, including severe droughts and water scarcity in affected regions.