Development must be people-centric and eco-friendly, says Rajendra Singh
The 'Waterman of India' called for transparency regarding permissions and land agreements for a proposed Google data centre near Visakhapatnam.
Rajendra Singh, the founder of Jal Biradari, on Thursday demanded that the State government disclose all land leases, allocations, and environmental or water-use permissions for the proposed Google hyperscale data centre near Visakhapatnam.
According to The Hindu, Singh, known as the ‘Waterman of India’, said development must focus on public participation, environmental protection, and the interests of future generations.
He questioned the net benefit of the 1,000-MW project, noting that nearly Rs 22,000 crore in incentives were provided for the creation of 500 jobs.
Singh also stated that development involving the destruction of rivers, lakes, forests, and agricultural lands is not real progress, citing India's rank of 176 among 177 countries in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index.
Regarding the Amaravati capital city, he insisted that the 2–3 km wide land stretch parallel to the River Krishna be used for agriculture and blue-green infrastructure as per environmental clearance.
He alleged that the greenfield capital city construction might not be legally compliant with conditions in Environmental Clearance No. SEIAA/AP/GTN-151/2015, dated October 9, 2026, concerning the Krishna River and local farms.