The National Green Tribunal has sought the Centre’s response to a petition challenging the environmental clearance granted to the proposed ₹17,700-crore Adani Infra Vizag Hyperscale Data Centre project in Visakhapatnam, bringing the project’s environmental appraisal and potential impact on local water resources under judicial scrutiny.
The appeal was filed by former Communist Party of India (Marxist) corporator Boddu Gangarao against the clearance issued on June 10, 2026, for the proposed 512-MW data centre. The project is planned across 601.4 acres within the limits of Adivivaram and Mudasarlova villages, according to the report.
Gangarao has argued that the project site is approximately 750 metres from the Kambalakonda wildlife sanctuary and around 470 metres from the sanctuary’s notified eco-sensitive zone. The petition claims that the project was incorrectly classified under Category B2, a classification that enabled it to avoid a more rigorous environmental appraisal.
The appeal contends that the scale of the proposed facility and its proximity to ecologically sensitive areas required a comprehensive assessment at the central government level. Instead, the environmental clearance was issued by the state environment impact assessment authority, according to the petition described in the report.
The case also places Visakhapatnam’s drinking-water security at the centre of the dispute. The petition has raised concerns about the project’s possible impact on the Mudasarlova reservoir, described as a major drinking-water source for the city. It alleges that construction and development could disrupt streams feeding the reservoir, with consequences for inflows and long-term water availability.
The petition seeks cancellation of the environmental clearance and an immediate halt to construction until the tribunal delivers its final decision. The NGT has scheduled the next hearing for October 26, when the Centre is expected to submit its response. The allegations in the petition remain subject to the tribunal’s consideration.
