PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Effective use of water in AI Data centres

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change clarified that AI data centres do not automatically need Environmental Clearance (EC) under the EIA Notification, 2006, but those classified as large building projects (built‑up area > 20,000 sq m) or township projects (area ≥ 50 ha or built‑up ≥ 150,000 sq m) must obtain EC from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority. During EC appraisal, water availability, water‑balance reports, grey‑water generation, recycling and reuse are examined, and water use/discharge is regulated by the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, with monitoring by State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Committees. Groundwater extraction follows guidelines issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Notifications S.O. 3289(E) 2020, amended 2023). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s District Cooling Guidelines 2023 advise using treated water for cooling‑tower make‑up to cut freshwater demand, and a Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology working group has been created to study energy efficiency and water management in AI infrastructure.