Kakinada SEZ Ltd, a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Aura Infra Realty and Infrastructure, will invest ₹1,310 crore in a 3 × 50 MLD seawater‑desalination plant at Kona village, Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh. The Union environment ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee has recommended Coastal Regulation Zone clearance with a set of conditions, including development of a prototype to reuse brine rather than discharge it into the sea and a ₹10 crore budget for environmental safeguards. Two intake pipelines will draw 380 MLD of seawater, while an outfall line will carry 230 MLD of brine reject; product water will supply nearby industries and the port, easing pressure on local freshwater and groundwater sources.