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Residents of Balkum, Kolshet and Dhokali in Thane staged a protest against Amazon's proposed 53-acre data centre, citing concerns over water consumption, electricity demand, noise pollution and environmental impact. The demonstrators alleged that the facility could affect nearby residential neighbourhoods, schools and hospitals and claimed discussions with civic authorities and Amazon had not resolved their concerns. Amazon rejected the allegations, stating that the project complies with all environmental regulations and will operate using a dedicated high-voltage power substation rather than the local electricity grid. The company also said the facility would not use community drinking water for cooling and that compensatory plantation is being undertaken for trees removed from the site.
Hundreds of residents gathered in Thane on Saturday to protest against Amazon's proposed data centre in the Balkum area, raising concerns over its potential environmental impact, water and electricity consumption, and noise pollution. The demonstrators, largely from Balkum, Kolshet and Dhokali, opposed the proposed development on a 53-acre site, claiming it could adversely affect nearby residential neighbourhoods and public infrastructure.
The protesters alleged that the planned facility would require at least 12 million litres of water every day in addition to substantial electricity consumption. They also expressed concern that the continuous operation of the data centre could generate persistent noise, which they claimed would affect residents living nearby. According to the protesters, several large residential complexes, five schools and three hospitals, including a children's hospital, are located within a one-kilometre radius of the proposed project.
The demonstration followed a meeting held on Thursday between a delegation representing the 'Wake Up Thanekar' group, the Thane Municipal Commissioner and representatives of Amazon. The protesters claimed that the discussions did not result in satisfactory assurances or solutions regarding the issues they had raised.
Responding to the concerns, Amazon stated that the proposed facility complies with all applicable environmental regulations and rejected claims that it would place additional pressure on local infrastructure. The company said the data centre would not draw electricity from the local distribution network serving residential and commercial consumers. Instead, it would be powered through a dedicated high-voltage substation planned in coordination with the utility provider.
On water consumption, Amazon said it had recently achieved 'water positive' status in India by returning more water to communities than it consumes. The company further stated that its data centres in India, including the proposed Thane facility, do not currently use water-based cooling systems and do not source community drinking or potable water for cooling purposes.
Addressing concerns over tree felling at the project site, Amazon stated that all tree removal activities had been undertaken in accordance with applicable legal requirements. The company added that it is planting more native trees on the site than those removed as part of compensatory afforestation measures.
The proposed project has also attracted political attention. Earlier this month, Thane Member of Parliament and Shiv Sena leader Naresh Mhaske sought a stay on the construction, citing objections raised by local residents and concerns over alleged excessive tree felling. In a letter to the Thane Municipal Commissioner, he called for an independent expert committee to review all approvals granted to the project, conduct a detailed public hearing, and organise a joint meeting involving residents, technical experts and elected representatives to address the concerns surrounding the development.
Source - PTI
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