IFC withdraws funding for waste-to-energy incinerators in Gujarat: A win for civil society

In a significant victory for environmental activists and local communities, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private lending arm of the World Bank, has decided not to invest in the proposed $40 million funding for waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration plants in Gujarat, India. The decision comes after strong opposition from civil society organizations, which highlighted concerns over pollution, health risks, and violations of sustainable waste management practices.

The funding was intended to support Abellon Clean Energy Limited (ACEL) in building four WTE incinerators in Rajkot, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Jamnagar, processing 3,750 tons of unsegregated municipal solid waste daily. However, opposition groups, including 174 networks of activists worldwide, raised concerns that the project would worsen air and water pollution, endanger public health, and undermine India’s environmental regulations.

"We were initially told that these plants would convert waste into power, but instead, they have increased pollution and health issues in our communities," said Ker Jayendrasinh, an activist in Jamnagar. Another activist, Asmita Chavda from Ahmedabad, expressed relief at IFC’s decision but called for broader action: “This is a major victory, but other financial institutions must follow IFC’s lead and stop funding harmful WTE projects.”

Financial concerns also played a role in the IFC’s withdrawal. ACEL has been struggling with mounting losses, with its net profit falling from ₹11.1 crore in 2021 to a ₹19 crore loss in 2023. The company’s inability to cover its loan interest payments further raised doubts about its economic viability.

Environmental advocates now urge India’s Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to reconsider their loans to ACEL. "This is an opportunity to shift towards more effective and sustainable waste management strategies," said Jay Vyas, an activist from Vadodara.

While the IFC’s decision marks a victory for environmental justice, campaigners emphasize that the fight is not over. They are calling for a complete shutdown of polluting WTE plants and a transition to decentralized, eco-friendly waste management solutions.

Manual scavenging: Apex Court contempt action puts Gujarat under spotlight

By Rajiv Shah The recent decision of the Supreme Court of India to initiate contempt proceedings against 15 states and Union Territories for failing to eradicate manual scavenging and for non-compliance with its 2023 directions on eliminating hazardous sewer cleaning and paying ₹30 lakh compensation to the families of victims could have significant implications for Gujarat .

DigiLocker's 'mismatch' problem: When technology defies government policy

DigiLocker has been functioning in rather strange ways, at least in my experience over the past year. For quite some time now, I have been trying to retrieve various documents from the Government of India's official app, but every attempt ends with an inexplicable "mismatch" error. I even lodged a complaint through its official email ID, explaining that I was unable to retrieve or download essential documents such as my PAN card , driving licence, and the registration certificates of my car and scooter. The response has remained the same: the system refuses access on the grounds of a so-called mismatch.

66 sanitation workers died cleaning sewers, septic tanks across India in 6 months: DASAM

At least 66 sanitation workers across India died between February and July 2026 while cleaning sewers, septic tanks, sewage treatment plants, and open drains, according to the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM), a rights group tracking caste-based forced labour in sanitation work. The deaths continue despite a 2013 law banning manual scavenging , repeated Supreme Court orders requiring full mechanisation of such cleaning, and constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to life.

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