Left parties seek withdrawal of data centre projects in Visakhapatnam; Tarluvada visit on July 27
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Left parties in Visakhapatnam are protesting government data centre projects in Tarluvada and near the Mudasarlova Reservoir. They allege land displacement and environmental risks, demanding the projects be withdrawn.
Opposition Mounts Against Visakhapatnam Data Centre Projects
Leaders from five Left parties—including the CPI(M), CPI, SUCI(C), MCPI, and CPI(ML) Praja Poru—have formally challenged the Andhra Pradesh state government’s plans to establish data centres in Visakhapatnam. The coalition, which held a joint press conference on July 23, 2026, expressed deep concern over the placement of these industrial-scale digital infrastructure projects within residential vicinities.
The Core Allegations: Land Acquisition and Displacement
A primary point of contention is the method and impact of land acquisition. The political leaders claim that approximately 260 acres have been seized from farmers and Dalit communities in Tarluvada. Furthermore, they highlighted the allocation of an additional 162 acres near the Mudasarlova Reservoir. The opposition argues that this land acquisition process lacked necessary public consultation, effectively disenfranchising local landowners and residents whose livelihoods are tied to these specific tracts of land.
Environmental and Public Health Concerns
The Left parties have raised alarms regarding the potential negative externalities of large-scale data centres. They contend that the proximity of these facilities to residential areas poses significant threats to public health and the surrounding environment. Data centres are energy-intensive and often require substantial cooling infrastructure, which the protesters argue could disrupt the local ecosystem, particularly near the Mudasarlova Reservoir, which serves as a critical water source.
Challenging the Employment Narrative
While the state government has pitched these data centre projects as engines for economic growth and large-scale employment, the Left coalition is skeptical of these claims. They argue that the promise of job creation is disproportionate to the social cost of displacement and environmental degradation. The leaders have questioned the transparency of the government's development model, suggesting that the benefits of such high-tech infrastructure may not trickle down to the local population who are currently bearing the brunt of the land acquisition.
Planned Mobilization and Future Implications
To escalate their opposition, the leaders have announced a joint visit to the Tarluvada site on July 27. This planned action serves as a symbolic and practical effort to mobilize local support and bring further scrutiny to the government's land use policies. The situation suggests a growing friction between the state's push for industrial modernization and the rights of local stakeholders, indicating that future tech-driven development in Visakhapatnam will likely face continued grassroots resistance if transparency and community engagement remain absent.
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