Singapore Asia News station reported on October 28 that Karnataka in India is vigorously expanding its artificial intelligence infrastructure. However, the water and land resources required to support the development of this industry have raised many concerns.
Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka and known as the "Silicon Valley of India", currently has 31 operational data centers, with more projects being prepared.
Residents of Bangalore Electronics City said that the nearby data centers are increasing the pressure on local water supply, while farmers outside the city oppose the government's land acquisition plan, fearing they will lose their source of livelihood. According to the plan, a new city with industries related to artificial intelligence will be built on this land.
Bangalore Electronics City is a major technology and industrial park in the area. Prannaidu Dubey, a senior executive in the information technology industry, lives in a residential complex with 264 apartments.
According to a civil society group led by him, nearly 150 residential communities in this area do not have access to municipal pipeline water supply.
The group believes that the surrounding data centers require a large amount of water resources to cool down computing devices, further exacerbating the water shortage situation.
"Water resource shortage is one of our biggest challenges... In my view, data centers actually magnify the negative impacts water scarcity has on residents." Dubei said in an interview with Asia News.
As artificial intelligence gradually integrates into the daily life of Bangalore, the Karnataka government has realized the enormous resource consumption required by data centers and is exploring ways to enhance the sustainability of this industry.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Halge, who also serves as the head of the Information Technology and Biotechnology Department, has proposed several viable measures, including the use of treated wastewater, the adoption of liquid cooling technology, and the further expansion of the proportion of renewable energy usage.
"We hope to find ways to make industrial development more green, more efficient, and more sustainable," he said.
Beyond the water supply issue within urban areas, Karnataka's plan to expand its AI industrial ecosystem is also generating agricultural land disputes in the city outskirts.
The state government plans to build a comprehensive new city in Bhadradwala, in the southwest of Bangalore. Over 800 hectares of land will be allocated for the development of artificial intelligence and supporting industries.
Hundreds of farmers from neighboring villages have been protesting the new city development plan for over 18 months. The farmers claim that the project will threaten the fertile farmland used for multiple crop cultivation in this area.
Despite opposition from the public, the government still issued a formal land acquisition announcement for the first phase of the project in June, planning to acquire approximately 210 hectares of land in three villages.
Environmentalist Lokenesh B.S. explained that this land can be used for planting crops such as betel nuts, coconuts, and bananas. It also serves as a production base for the silk farming industry.
45-year-old Niera is the mother of three children and has about 4 hectares of farmland in her household. She is also one of the opponents of the project.
She said that this land has been passed down from generation to generation, and the income from sericulture and palm cultivation supports the education expenses of her children.
Land is passed down by ancestors. The government wants to build a new city here, so where shall we go then?
"We don't want to give up our land. Even if we get compensation, we don't want luxury cars or gold to make our lives comfortable. We are quite satisfied with our current life."
One month after the announcement of the land acquisition, the Karnataka government promised farmers that no forced land expropriation would take place. In response to protests, the government formed a special committee to re-evaluate the new city project and sought opinions from all sectors of society.
Halger said that industrial development is crucial for the future of Karnataka.
"We are already an agricultural economy; maintaining the foundation of agriculture is very valuable. But at the same time, industrialization also needs to be carried out in a healthy manner." "In this era of rapid change, what the country cannot afford to do is to stagnate and fall behind."
