1 hr ago
Thane Residents Resist Amazon Hyperscale Data Centre Over Resource Concerns
Amazon plans to build a very large data centre in Thane, India.
A data centre is a place filled with computers that store and process information.
The proposed centre would be built on 53 acres near homes, schools and hospitals.
People living nearby worry it will use too much electricity and water.
They are also concerned about noise, heat and pollution from backup generators.
Residents held a silent protest and formed a human chain against the project.
Amazon says the centre will use treated water and a cooling system that recycles coolant without using water for cooling.
The company also says it will use a separate high-voltage power connection and follow noise rules.
Officials and experts say data centres are needed but should be carefully separated from residential areas and built with safeguards.
Residents in Thane’s Balkum, Majiwada and Dhokali areas are protesting a proposed 53-acre Amazon hyperscale data centre.
The facility is expected to require 422 MW of power, 125 kilolitres of treated water daily and 193 diesel generators for backup.
Residents fear the project could worsen local water shortages, power outages, noise, heat and pollution near homes, schools and hospitals.
Amazon says the centre will use closed-loop cooling, treated water, a dedicated high-voltage grid connection and legally compliant noise controls.
The dispute comes as Maharashtra promotes the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as a major data-centre hub, with 76 facilities reported across the region.
- Who
- Residents and villagers near Balkum, Majiwada and Dhokali are protesting a facility proposed by Amazon Web Services, with support from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.
- What
- A 53-acre hyperscale data centre is proposed in Thane, prompting concerns about water, electricity, heat, noise and pollution.
- Where
- The project is planned in the Balkum area of Thane, in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
- When
- Residents held a human-chain protest on July 18; the article does not specify the year.
- Why
- Residents oppose the facility’s location near a residential belt and fear its resource demands and operations will affect the surrounding community.
Residents and Protesters
Amazon and Public Officials
Project location
Residents and Protesters
The facility should not be built in the middle of a densely populated residential area near homes, schools and hospitals.
Amazon and Public Officials
Data centres cannot simply be excluded from cities, but clear boundaries and safeguards should separate industrial and habitable areas.
Water and electricity use
Residents and Protesters
Thane already faces a daily potable-water shortage and power outages, so supplying the centre could worsen pressure on local resources.
Amazon and Public Officials
Amazon says the facility will use closed-loop cooling without water consumption for cooling, while municipal officials say treated water from sewage-treatment plants is planned; Amazon also says it will use a dedicated high-voltage connection.
Noise, heat and pollution
Residents and Protesters
Residents fear heat from the facility and noise and pollution from up to 193 generators, particularly during power outages.
Amazon and Public Officials
Amazon says the centre will comply with legal noise limits, while officials say generators would operate only when regular electricity is unavailable.
Key facts
- Proposed operator
- Amazon Web Services
- Project area
- 53 acres
- Projected power demand
- 422 MW
- Projected water demand
- 125 kilolitres of treated water daily
- Backup generators
- 193 diesel generator sets
- Planned employment
- 75 workers during operation and 1,200 during construction
- MMR data-centre count
- 76 facilities, according to Rubix Data Sciences
Quotes
Rohidas Patil
A native farmer of Balkum whose home is next to the proposed facility.
“We are not against development of AI centres. What we are opposing is its construction right in the middle of a thriving residential belt. When we called in the protest, we were surprised by the overwhelming response. Kids and parents from the padas as well as highrises joined in, highlighting that everyone is concerned about this facility.”
indianexpress.com
“Earlier, this land housed a chemical company which employed the local villagers. After it was closed over health concerns, thousands had lost their source of income. So, when we first heard that there was an Amazon centre coming up, we were hoping it would create jobs.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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