‘Vizag will have more water than it actually requires by 2040’: MP Sribharat

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam has more than enough water to meet the growing needs and the forecast is that the city will have four times its actual water requirement by 2040, emphasised Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat.

Given the current consumption pattern, Visakhapatnam requires 1,500 MLD of water by then, which includes water for upcoming industries, data centres to be established and for the domestic use, the MP stated in an exclusive interactive session.

Once the Polavaram project becomes completely operational, Sribharat exuded confidence that Visakhapatnam will still have an excess water supply of 600 MLD.

Brushing aside the allegations of water supply shortages and associated environmental impact levelled by the Opposition since Google confirmed its establishment of 1GW-hyperscale data centre in Vizag, the MP reasoned that with the implementation of advanced air-cooling technology across all five of its Vizag sites, the Google data centre would eventually use water comparable to any other corporate entity.

Amid growing concerns over water supply shortages and environmental impact surrounding Google’s $15 billion data centre coming up in Visakhapatnam, the MP allayed fears assuring that there is no question of a water deficit in Visakhapatnam.

Underlining the need to look at the data center’s larger picture, Sribharat highlighted that such facilities would drastically boost infrastructure, the start-up ecosystem and other allied industries in the region, while also facilitating direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Responding to the objections raised by other coutnries to set up data centres, the MP stated, “There are several reasons for that, including policies and local issues.

In some data centres, increased power consumption had left an impact on local communities and it is one of the reasons why the data centres were not welcomed by other coutnries.

Apparently, the data centre that is coming up in Visakhapatnam have its own power production unit. Also, with the updated version of data centres, several challenges could be mitigated with ease. There will not be any issue pertaining to water or power or heat as far as the data centre being established in Vizag is concerned,” the MP made it clear, adding that it would serve as an effective hub for data sovereignty.

Drawing comparisons, MP Sribharat mentioned that Andhra Pradesh’s water ecosystem is far better than that of some US states, even though those states are economically strong in various other sectors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rani Devalla

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Rani Devalla is an experienced journalist specialised in a range of beats. From crime to politics, health to human interest, education to defence along with entertainment and feature stories, Rani Devalla, an accomplished writer with a passion for exploring diverse genres, has been reporting for the past 14 years. Serving as Bureau Chief of The Hans India in Visakhapatnam, Rani Devalla contributes to the organisation's editorial department through daily reporting, special stories and feature stories. After completing B.Com, Rani Devalla pursued Masters in Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Hans India, Rani Devalla worked as a Principal Correspondent with The Hindu Group for six-and-a-half years. With rich expertise, she brings diverse perspectives to her reporting that makes her narratives stand out. When not immersed in writing, the journalist spends time reading, travelling and journaling.

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