India's AI Data Centres Lack Direct Environmental Oversight, Parliament Informed
AI infrastructure in India is exempt from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework, raising concerns over energy and water consumption. This regulatory gap allows data centres to operate without direct environmental scrutiny, despite significant resource demands.
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As of April 2, AI data centres in India do not fall within the Environmental Impact Assessment framework, according to the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Only construction projects over 20,000 square metres require environmental clearance, leaving the facilities themselves without mandatory oversight.
The Ministry reports that AI infrastructure significantly consumes energy and water, producing electronic waste, as India increases AI deployment. Additionally, the Namami Gange Programme has sanctioned 524 projects with a budget of Rs 43,030 crore, and 150 elephant corridors have been identified across 15 states for wildlife conservation. The absence of direct assessment for AI facilities poses risks of unregulated environmental impacts amid growing resource demands.
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