Balkum residents protest against proposed Amazon data centre in Thane
Residents in the Balkum area of Thane have launched a protest campaign against a proposed Amazon data centre project, raising concerns over environmental risks, health hazards, and high resource consumption. The campaign, named "Wake Up Thanekar," was formed by a collective of civil society members in response to the Thane Municipal Corporation's (TMC) decision to execute the major infrastructure project without public transparency.
According to the protesting residents, the proposed hyperscale data centre would require a massive amount of water and significant power resources to operate. Additionally, residents claimed that the facility would generate continuous noise, posing long-term health and environmental risks to the local neighborhood. They also alleged that there was inadequate public consultation before the project was pushed forward.
To pressure authorities to halt the project, local citizens formally established "Wake Up Thanekar" as a non-political, non-partisan NGO. Representatives of the campaign stated that the group includes people associated with all political parties who have united to raise issues directly affecting the citizens of Thane.
During a press conference held last month, campaign organizers Dayanand Nene, Rajesh Kadam, Meghna Shetty, Avinash Chitnis, and Himani Verma spoke out against the development. They stated that unchecked construction is driving the historic city of Thane toward absolute ruin.
Co-founder Rajesh Kadam emphasized that the local administration had bypassed the people who would be most affected by the project. Kadam stated that tax-paying citizens are being entirely bypassed, and the group is demanding equitable, well-planned development. He welcomed everyone who wants a liveable Thane to join the movement.
The organizers have made it clear that they are firm on their demands. They announced that they will utilize all available constitutional and democratic methods to stop the implementation of the Amazon data centre project if the Thane Municipal Corporation refuses to open a dialogue with the public.
