Maharashtra To Soon Have A Data Centre Policy To Regulate Sites, Water Consumption, Noise Pollution & Heat Generation
Mumbai: Maharashtra is likely to have its own Data Centre Policy, becoming the first state to establish comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures governing the facilities. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has collaborated with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to regulate the rapidly growing digital infrastructure sector. Thane Protests Highlight Environmental Concerns The…
Maharashtra is poised to introduce a comprehensive Data Centre Policy, making it the first state to implement stringent Standard Operating Procedures for digital infrastructure facilities. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has joined forces with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to regulate the rapidly expanding sector.
This policy stems from the vocal opposition in Thane’s Balkum area, where residents vehemently opposed an upcoming Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centre project due to concerns over noise pollution, excessive heat generation, and extensive resource use.
The forthcoming policy, set to be finalized within months, aims to tackle urban ecological challenges by mandating sustainable operational benchmarks and stringent zoning regulations. According to MPCB chairman Siddhesh Kadam, the policy will address these issues without hindering new investments in Maharashtra. Kadam emphasized the necessity of creating buffer zones around residential areas to prevent urban strain, encouraging future data centres to be situated away from densely populated regions.
The policy will also tackle the significant water consumption and heat management concerns associated with data centres. It plans to mandate the use of recycled and treated wastewater for server cooling instead of fresh municipal supplies. Additionally, advanced acoustic barriers will be required to mitigate low-frequency noise from cooling equipment and generators, addressing the noise pollution fears of Thane residents.
The collaboration with IIT Bombay will also explore monitoring and controlling localized heat generation and enforce strict energy consumption regulations.
Drawing from Western experiences, Kadam highlighted the importance of developing guidelines for the operational measures of data centres and determining optimal locations for their establishment. To learn more about exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai and surrounding regions, visit https://budgetproperties.in/.
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