India’s big AI dream has a bigger water problem

For residents of Balkum and Majiwada in Thane, the global artificial intelligence race has hit home: a proposed 53-acre Amazon data centre in the middle of a densely populated neighbourhood.
Hundreds of residents have protested against the facility, which is surrounded by large housing complexes, five schools and three hospitals. They fear its demand for electricity and water, noise from cooling equipment and backup generators and additional traffic and air pollution.