Scrutinise AI data centre projects on environmental grounds, say legal experts
A brainstorming session on the environmental, social and legal implications of proposed hyperscale AI data centres was organised by environmental NGO Green Visakha in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. The meeting, held at Alluri Seetharama Raju Vignana Kendram, brought together members of the legal fraternity to deliberate on the potential consequences of these projects.
Green Visakha president Raja Rama Mohan Roy said such projects should be assessed in terms of natural, environmental and social justice, considering their impact on land, water, electricity and biodiversity. He stressed that a comprehensive evaluation is essential before any approval is granted so that the long-term well-being of the community and the ecosystem is safeguarded.
Professor Byragi Reddy of Andhra University called for greater public awareness, noting that informed communities are better equipped to participate in decisions affecting their environment. He said that without widespread understanding of the trade-offs involved, environmental governance can become exclusionary and opaque.
V.S. Krishna, representing the Human Rights Forum, emphasised strict compliance with constitutional and environmental laws. He pointed out that legal adherence is not merely procedural but a substantive safeguard for the rights of citizens and the natural world. The legal framework exists to ensure that development does not come at the cost of fundamental rights to a clean and healthy environment.
Senior advocates present at the session called for transparent environmental and social impact assessments. They expressed concern that the Government Orders relating to the data centre projects had not been debated in the Legislative Assembly, raising questions about accountability and democratic scrutiny. Public consultation, they argued, should be an integral part of the decision-making process.
Hyperscale data centres, which support cloud computing and artificial intelligence, require vast amounts of electricity and water for cooling. In regions facing water scarcity, such projects can strain local resources and exacerbate existing environmental pressures. Globally, the digital infrastructure sector has come under scrutiny for its carbon footprint and resource consumption, prompting calls for sustainable design and renewable energy use.
The participants stressed that environmental and social impact assessments must be made public and that affected communities should be consulted meaningfully. This, they said, would help ensure that the projects are implemented in a manner consistent with ecological limits and social equity. Legal experts also highlighted the need for the state government to place all relevant documents before the elected assembly to ensure parliamentary oversight.
The right to a healthy environment is recognised as part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. Any large-scale industrial project, including data centres, must therefore be examined through the lens of constitutional obligations. The session underscored the role of the judiciary and legal professionals in ensuring that development is not achieved at the expense of environmental justice.
The meeting concluded with a call for greater transparency and accountability in the approval process. Green Visakha said it would continue to engage with the public and authorities to ensure that environmental considerations are not overlooked in the rush to expand digital infrastructure. The NGO also announced plans to organise similar deliberations with other stakeholders, including local residents and technical experts, to build a broader consensus on the issue.
