Residents of Tarluvada describe losing land designated for the $15bn initiative, with pledged employment and property compensation still outstanding.
State environmental approval granted to Google's $15bn AI datacentre venture in Andhra Pradesh permits 2.51GW of capacity, substantially exceeding the 1GW figure made public, according to clearance documentation reviewed by the Guardian. Journalists Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Aakash Hassan documented the situation from Tarluvada, among the villages hosting the facility. The Guardian noted that 2.51GW represents roughly the generating power of two major nuclear power stations, surpassing 30% of the state's annual electricity consumption.
Google unveiled the Visakhapatnam AI hub in October 2025 alongside partners AdaniConneX and Airtel. When responding to the Guardian, Google characterized it as a gigawatt-scale facility, drawing parallels to comparable undertakings elsewhere.
The state granted approval within nine days without conducting a public hearing, the Guardian reported. Subsequently, the Human Rights Forum submitted three petitions to India's National Green Tribunal, with an additional matter proceeding through the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The initiative spans three locations near Visakhapatnam. One location sits just metres away from a protected forest area, a freshwater supply reservoir and a designated wildlife protection zone.
In Tarluvada, approximately 520 households recently had land reclaimed that the government had allocated to them roughly two decades prior, according to the Guardian. Community members reported that personnel employed by the Adani Group erected barriers in April, preventing access to agricultural plots they had cultivated for extended periods.
Among the 47 Dalit farmers compensated for their holdings, several stated they have not received the replacement property and employment opportunities initially guaranteed. Farmer P Venkat Rao, who accepted $40,000 for his single acre, now faces unemployment.
I am a farmer, without my land I am nothing
P Venkat Rao, to the Guardian
The state administration maintained that no land seizure occurred through coercion and that eligible recipients received fair compensation. The Adani Group asserted that all required legal authorizations had been obtained.
Google stated the facility will employ air-based cooling technology rather than water-based systems, thereby avoiding harm to the region's drinking water supply. The company also projected minimal consequences for neighbouring communities and anticipated job creation numbering in the thousands across the Visakhapatnam area.
The state's incentive package—encompassing tax reductions and subsidised access to land, electricity and water for Google—carries an estimated value of 220bn rupees ($2.2bn) across two decades, according to the Guardian.
This situation echoes comparable datacentre controversies occurring in the United States and internationally. The tribunal petitions remain pending adjudication.
Source: The Next Web
