High‑Level Committee to Examine Power, Water and Social Effects of Data Centres

The newly formed committee, mandated by a government order late Monday night, will scrutinise the demand that data centres place on the state’s critical infrastructure. Members include the principal secretaries of Energy, Water Resources, Industry and Environment, senior officials from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, and leading scholars from IIT Bombay and CSIR‑NEERI. Their mandate covers scientific evaluation of energy efficiency, emission controls, alternative cooling methods, and the socio‑economic impact on local populations, including job creation and skill development.