Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh defended data-centre projects in Visakhapatnam, rejecting concerns over their water and environmental impact. He said the proposed 6.5 GW ecosystem would use industrial water from Polavaram, while new cooling technologies could reduce consumption. Critics continue opposing the projects
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, on Wednesday defended the state government’s decision to establish data centres in Visakhapatnam, claiming that misinformation was being spread over their environmental and water requirements.
Speaking in the State Legislative Assembly, Minister Lokesh said Google’s decision to invest in Visakhapatnam had triggered wider interest from other IT companies in the city. He was responding to a question raised by Jana Sena MLA, Lokam Naga Madhavi. Minister Lokesh said data centres are critical to the AI-driven digital economy and India’s data sovereignty, particularly amid emerging geopolitical challenges.
