Vizag data centres lack transparency on water, power and jobs, say speakers at HRF meet
The Human Rights Forum held a conference in Visakhapatnam to discuss the environmental and social impacts of AI data centers. Speakers raised concerns about the lack of transparency regarding water and power usage, as well as potential displacement of local communities.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the growing tension between rapid technological infrastructure development and the rights of local communities to environmental and economic transparency.
The Human Rights Forum (HRF) held its tenth Visakha district conference, themed “Remembering Balagopal ”, at Alluri Vignana Kendram in Daba Gardens in Visakhapatnam on Sunday (October 4, 2026). About 100 people, including young participants and veterans of the organisation, attended the event.
Speaking on “Balagopal’s Continuing Relevance”, Y. Rajesh, general secretary of the HRF’s Andhra Pradesh unit and an advocate based in Amalapuram, said he had drawn on the writings of the late lawyer and civil rights activist, whom he had not known personally. He said Balagopal and his colleagues had built a non-hierarchical work culture in the HRF, emphasising fact-finding on the ground and broader coalitions. Many of Balagopal’s writings dealt with destruction and development, he said.
A section of the audience at the Human Rights Forum’s Visakha district conference in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. Raju
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