In Brief:
- Google & Adani's $15B data center in Visakhapatnam targets creating 188k jobs.
- Activists cite threats to local water supplies and a nearby wildlife sanctuary.
- State government denies violations; Google promises air cooling and soundproofing.
Google’s $15 billion data center project in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh—developed in partnership with the Adani Group to create up to 188,000 jobs—is facing mounting public protests and legal challenges over environmental risks.
Activists and local groups argue that the massive facility will strain the city's already deficit-ridden water supply and disturb wildlife at the nearby Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.
In response, the state government denied claims that the project threatens public water resources or violates sanctuary distance laws, while Google affirmed that the development adheres to Indian regulations and will implement advanced air cooling and sound-dampening measures to conserve local water and minimize noise.
