As India’s digital ecosystem continues to expand, data centers are playing an increasingly important role in enabling artificial intelligence and cloud-based services. Just AI, Just Land: Socio-Environmental Implications of Data Centers on Communities, authored by Dr. Arpita Kanjilal, Maitri Singh, and Mili Dangwal, examines how these developments are unfolding in peri-urban regions of Telangana, with a focus on Mekaguda and Begarikancha.
The report is part of the Digital Empowerment Foundation’s research and is supported by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). It has been developed in collaboration with Knowledge Partners: Commons Collective and the AI + Planetary Justice Alliance, whose inputs have strengthened the study’s interdisciplinary approach.
Drawing on field research and community interactions, the report explores how the expansion of data center infrastructure is influencing land use, water access, and livelihood patterns. It highlights the ways in which local communities are navigating these changes, including shifts in agriculture, emerging economic opportunities, and evolving relationships with natural resources.
The study also points to the importance of strengthening information-sharing, transparency, and participation, particularly at the level of local governance institutions. It situates these developments within broader conversations on sustainable development and responsible digital growth, offering insights that can inform future policy and practice.
Centering community-centric perspectives and policy considerations in global AI governance, Just AI, Just Land contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the intersections between digital infrastructure and community life in India.