Veteran journalist P. Sainath addresses a seminar organised by the M.P. Veerendrakumar Memorial Trust in Palakkad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah
Veteran journalist and author P. Sainath has called for water to be recognised as a fundamental human right, arguing that it should never be treated as a commodity.Addressing a seminar organised by the M.P. Veerendrakumar Memorial Trust here to commemorate the water struggles led by the late M.P., particularly the Plachimada agitation against Coca-Cola, Mr. Sainath said access to water should be inseparable from the right to life.“Water must be declared a fundamental human right. It cannot be treated as a commodity, just as oxygen cannot be commodified,” he said.Citing Uruguay, which recognised water as a fundamental right years ago, Mr. Sainath said India could do the same. “If a country of just over three million people can do it, India can certainly do it. We are a stronger and healthier country,” he said.Calling for a clear order of priorities in water use, he said community needs must come first. “Schools, hospitals, colleges and community wells should be at the top of the priority list, while indoor swimming pools should be at the very bottom,” he said.Mr. Sainath also urged a rethink of policies that shift water from livelihood needs to lifestyle consumption. Recalling Veerendrakumar’s slogan during water struggles, he said the fight for water was ultimately a fight for survival.On data centresMr. Sainath also raised concerns over the rapid expansion of data centres in India, warning that they posed a growing threat to water security.“India has 18% of the world’s population and only 4% of its freshwater resources, yet it already hosts about 20% of the world’s data centres,” he said.Highlighting the environmental costs of digital infrastructure, Mr. Sainath said data centres require large amounts of freshwater for cooling. “Expanding data centres are encroaching on local water supplies, and the poorest communities bear the brunt,” he said.He claimed that existing data centres consume about 260,000 litres of water a day and that facilities across India used an estimated 150 billion litres of water last year. Consumption, he said, could rise to 300 billion litres annually by 2030.Citing government estimates, he said nearly 600 million Indians already face high to extreme water scarcity.The seminar, titled ‘Veerendrakumar and his People’s Agitations’, highlighted the late leader’s role in championing people’s movements and environmental causes.Former Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty presided over the function. Programme general convener and writer Rajesh Menon welcomed the gathering. Former Perumatty panchayat president A. Krishnan proposed a vote of thanks. Published - June 03, 2026 08:54 pm IST
