The Litigation Also Raises Concerns About Noise and Construction Impact on Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, Located 860 Metres Away

Visakhapatnam, India — Google's $15 billion data centre project in Andhra Pradesh is facing mounting opposition from environmentalists over water and wildlife concerns, even as construction proceeds. Activists and children have marched in Visakhapatnam holding banners reading "We cannot drink DATA" and painting handcuffs on the Google logo. The state's top court on Monday asked the government to defend against allegations by activist group Jal Biradari that the project will strain water availability by stressing a nearby reservoir.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court will next hear the public interest litigation on August 24. The state denied the project was fast-tracked without weighing risks, calling activists' concerns "incorrect and misleading, but said it is open to feedback. Google said it will implement "advanced air cooling to protect vital local water resources" and sound-dampening measures. The project, partnered with Gautam Adani's group, is expected to create up to 188,000 jobs.

The litigation also raises concerns about noise and construction impact on Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, located 860 metres away. The state said the site is farther than the law requires. Three more cases filed at India's environmental court by the Human Rights Forum demand a halt, arguing the state cleared the project without properly assessing the impact on a rural drinking-water scheme.

The city receives 410 million litres of water daily against a requirement of 480 million, with rationing common among its 2.5 million residents. "Development should not be at the cost of livelihood of the people, said Raja Rama Mohan Roy of Green Visakha. Who will be the sufferers? The people.