Digital Infrastructure vs. Ecological Limits: The Imperative for Sustainable Data Centre Policy
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India's rapid data centre expansion is straining urban water and power resources, necessitating a national sustainability framework to balance digital growth with climate resilience.
As India accelerates its digital transformation, the proliferation of data centres has emerged as a critical infrastructure challenge. While these facilities are the backbone of the digital economy, their operational requirements—specifically high-intensity power consumption and massive freshwater usage for cooling—are increasingly clashing with the environmental realities of India’s water-stressed urban centres.
Data centres are typically located in or near major metropolitan hubs to ensure low latency and proximity to users. However, this concentration creates a 'resource paradox.' In cities already grappling with groundwater depletion and urban heat island effects, the intensive cooling needs of these facilities exacerbate local ecological stress. The reliance on energy-intensive cooling systems not only strains the power grid but also contributes to a significant carbon footprint, complicating India’s commitments under the Panchamrit strategy and its broader Net Zero goals.
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