Visakhapatnam residents raise concerns over data centres, beach shacks

A citizens' meeting in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday registered opposition to proposed data centres and beach shacks in the city, with speakers raising questions over resource use, employment claims and local impact.

Kunche Sridhar, national general secretary of the Centre for Protection of Democratic Rights & Secularism (CPDRS), flagged concerns about the effect of data centres on human life and the environment. He questioned the subsidies and tax concessions extended to such projects and argued that construction employment would be short-lived, leaving only a few hundred jobs once a facility is completed.

On the technology itself, Sridhar said hyperscale AI data centres could bring data-transfer latency down to a few microseconds, a capability he described as having limited civilian use but potential applications in warfare. He also questioned the diversion of land, water and electricity to such facilities for private profit.

Raja Rama Mohan Roy, president of Green Visakha, pointed to a daily water shortage of 110 million litres in Visakhapatnam and asked why scarce freshwater and energy should be allocated to hyperscale data centres. He noted that India holds about 4% of the world's freshwater resources while accounting for roughly 18% of its population, and cited estimates that 600 million people could face severe water stress by 2030.

Ch. Prameela, secretary of Poura Chaitanya Vedika, raised concerns about beach shacks, women's safety and local culture.