India, Aug. 20 -- Senior BJP leader and forest minister Ganesh Naik said he is opposed to data centres being set up in residential areas and encouraged citizens resisting them to challenge them in court. Naik's comments come amid a massive pushback against data centres being set up in Thane, where citizens and activists are campaigning against their environmental impact and the diversion of essential resources such as water and electricity.

Naik expressed his views at a Janata Darbar (people's court) in Thane on Wednesday. "We need data centres. But since they affect people's lives through noise and air pollution, and require large amounts of water, I think data centres should not be set up in residential areas. People opposing them shou...