{
  "id": 5884925,
  "title": "The rise against data centres",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/the-rise-against-data-centres",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-06T01:33:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/the-rise-against-data-centres-10865048/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "When residents of Balkum, Majiwada, and Dhokali in Thane first heard that Amazon was constructing a hyperscale data centre on their doorstep, they initially hoped it would bring jobs to their community. However, the scale of the facility – occupying 53 acres, consuming 422 megawatts of power, and using 125 kilolitres of treated water daily – has turned excitement into resistance. The community fears the data centre will consume limited water, power, and space, impacting their quality of life. This concern is part of a broader backlash against data centres, which have faced protests in the US and other countries as AI adoption accelerates. In Thane, the protests have culminated in the #WakeupThanekar movement, questioning how a hyperscale facility could be permitted in the middle of a city. A bureaucrat explained that unlike other data centres in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, which are built in existing industrial complexes, the Thane project is situated in a residential area, necessitating extra precautions. Water supply is one of the residents' primary concerns, as Thane already suffers from a daily shortage of 31 million litres of potable water, and the TMC is seeking additional supply. The Amazon spokesperson assured residents that the data centre would use closed-loop cooling technology and not draw power from the local network, but these assurances have not quelled the residents' anxieties.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}