Water for Vizag data centres not at the cost of city’s needs, asserts IT Minister Nara Lokesh

Visakhapatnam’s IT Minister Nara Lokesh has firmly stated that water allocated for the city’s data centres will not compromise the needs of local residents, asserting that the water will be sourced from the Polavaram project and industrial sectors without affecting drinking or agricultural requirements. The minister dismissed rumors of the data centres causing water shortages, claiming that Google’s recent decision to set up its facility in Visakhapatnam has incentivized other global tech giants to consider establishing similar operations in the city.

Lokesh explained that the 6.5 GW capacity data centres planned for Visakhapatnam will require approximately 3 tmc of water, which will be provided by diverting a portion of the 3,000 tmc of Godavari water annually flowing into the Bay of Bengal through the Polavaram project. Water for the data centres will be sourced from the allocation earmarked for industries, with dedicated pipelines installed instead of diverting water from existing city infrastructure.

The minister also addressed concerns about water consumption in data centres, citing recent technological advancements such as air-cooling systems used in U.S. data centres. He noted that the proposed data centres would rely on 70% green energy sources like solar, wind, and pumped storage. Additionally, a 100-MLD desalination plant is being developed to further ensure water security.

Lokesh emphasized that the establishment of data centres will create a broader ecosystem encompassing advanced chips, cooling systems, transformers, power electronics, logistics, warehousing, real estate, transport, hospitality, retail, and maintenance services. The minister also highlighted that power requirements for data centres are far less than those of thermal power projects, with at least 70% of data centre power coming from renewable sources.

Regarding environmental concerns, Lokesh dismissed allegations of violations and encouraged the public not to believe in fabricated videos or misinformation. He affirmed that the government is committed to minimizing development-induced environmental pressures through sustainable mechanisms.

In other developments, Lokesh announced plans to provide permanent buildings to 37 government degree colleges across the state, with a new building for the Government Degree College in Allagadda, where student strength has surged from 18 to 103 since its inception in 2025-26. The government will also construct new libraries in all 175 Assembly constituencies within three years, starting with the Kadapa library, which is set for completion in nine months.

Additionally, a model library in Mangalagiri, equipped with competitive examination resources, an auditorium, and other facilities, is under development.