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View all search resultsBatam residents protest data centers amid water crisis
Residential areas have their clean water supplies cutoff completely while data centers in Nongsa Special Economic Zone enjoy sufficient water.
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People walk near DayOne data center at Nongsa Digital Park (NDP) in Batam city, Riau Islands, on July 20. Batam has attracted at least 16 new data centers in various stages, despite limited utility infrastrucutre of clean water and electricity. (JP/Fadli)
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undreds of residents, dominated by housewives, stormed Nongsa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) management office in Batam, Riau Islands, on Saturday, one of several such protests in the past two months over a clean water crisis in the area.
The demonstrators took the action after supplies of clean water to residential areas around Nongsa SEZ were cut off, while water still flowed smoothly to data centers inside the SEZ.
“We no longer get water supplies, even for basic sanitation,” one of the protesters said, as seen in videos circulating on social media.
They lambasted the absence of mitigation measures by SEZ management and the city administration and questioned the abundant water supplies for tenants in Nongsa SEZ.
Water crises have occurred not only in Nongsa but also in other residential areas, including Baloi Paradise and Anggrek Permai in Lubuk Baja district. Water supply was reportedly drastically decreased in the past week before dying out from Saturday until Monday.
Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BP Batam) deputy for commercial affairs, Denny Tondano, said his office was still investigating what caused the stoppage to residential areas.
“We will immediately check it,” he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
