Protest in Thane against Amazon data centre; company allays water, power fears

Thane, Jul 18 (PTI) Several hundred persons staged a protest on Saturday against a proposed data centre of Amazon in Balkum area of Thane city, claiming that it would pose an environmental threat, create noise pollution and consume large amounts of water and electricity.

The US-headquartered e-commerce giant, however, said it was complying with all environmental laws, and the data centre would not utilise local power and water sources.

The protesters, most of them residents of Balkum, Kolshet and Dhokali areas, claimed that the data centre, planned on a 53-acre plot, will require at least 12 million litres of water every day besides "unlimited electricity".

It was also apprehended that it would generate continuous noise, posing a health risk as large residential complexes, five schools and three hospitals including a children's hospital are located within its one km radius, the protesters claimed.

A delegation of protesters, under the banner of 'Wake Up Thanekar', met the Thane municipal commissioner and Amazon representatives on Thursday. But the meeting did not lead to satisfactory solutions, the protesters claimed.

An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement that the state-of-the-art facility "will not draw or divert power from the local distribution grid that serves residential and commercial consumers, but through its own dedicated high-voltage substation, planned in coordination with the utility." As to water utilisation, the spokesperson said the company recently achieved a 'water positive' status in India by returning more water to communities than it consumes.

"Amazon does not currently use water for cooling in its data centers in India, including our Thane site, and we do not draw from the community's drinking or potable water for cooling purposes," the statement said.

The tree felling at the site was conducted in strict compliance with the law, Amazon said.

"For every tree removed, we are planting more native trees on the site," the spokesperson said.

Earlier this month, Thane MP and Shiv Sena leader Naresh Mhaske had demanded a stay to the construction of the data centre, citing opposition from locals and allegedly excessive tree felling.

In a letter to the Thane municipal commissioner, he demanded an independent expert committee review of all permissions granted to the project, a detailed public hearing, and a joint meeting involving local residents, experts, and public representatives to address their grievances. PTI