Development must prioritize people and environment, says activist Rajendra Singh

Rajendra Singh, a prominent environmentalist and water conservation expert, has emphasized that economic development should not come at the cost of ecological sustainability or public interest. His remarks come as he raised concerns about alleged regulatory violations in two major projects in Andhra Pradesh—Google's data centre facility and the Eluru coal gasification initiative.

Singh underscored the need for development models that balance growth with environmental safeguards and community welfare. He pointed to the two projects as examples where standard protocols and environmental considerations may have been compromised in pursuit of rapid expansion.

The Google data centre project in Amaravati and the coal gasification facility in Eluru have drawn scrutiny over their environmental impact assessments and adherence to regulatory frameworks. Singh's intervention reflects broader concerns within civil society about ensuring that large-scale infrastructure projects meet prescribed environmental and social standards.

His position aligns with growing calls from activists and experts for stricter enforcement of environmental compliance in major development initiatives across India. The remarks underscore ongoing tensions between infrastructure expansion and environmental protection in the country's development agenda.