As India races toward an AI-driven economic boom, a critical environmental warning is being ignored: the staggering resource toll of data centres. Power and Climate Policy Analyst Shankar Sharma warns that by 2030, global AI infrastructure will consume 1.2 trillion litres of water annually. In India, where cities like Bengaluru already face acute water stress, a single 100 MW data centre can gulp down 800,000 litres of water every day—equivalent to the needs of a small town.
Despite these alarming figures, the draft National Electricity Policy 2026 remains silent on the energy-water nexus. Instead of relying on water-intensive coal and nuclear plants, experts urge a shift toward distributed renewable energy and “zero-water” cooling technologies. We cannot allow digital progress to come at the cost of our most basic natural resources. It is time for a national policy that prioritises long-term ecological sustainability over short-term corporate gains.
🔗 Source: https://counterview.net/2026/02/ai-booms-hidden-cost-expert-warns-india.html
