9 hrs ago
21-Year-Old Bittu Tabahi Leads Madhya Pradesh River Cleanup
Surendra Singh Chaudhary is a 21-year-old student in Madhya Pradesh.
People online know him as Bittu Tabahi.
He started cleaning the dirty Ajnar River in Biaora on January 26, 2026.
He removed rubbish and other waste, often without much equipment.
The work exposed him to snakes and caused infections in his limbs.
The local municipality gave him a large excavator to help remove older waste.
Some local residents also joined the cleanup.
Officials say the bigger problem is wastewater flowing into the river, so they have proposed building a sewage treatment plant.
BSc student Surendra Singh Chaudhary, known as Bittu Tabahi, began cleaning Biaora’s polluted Ajnar River on January 26, 2026.
Chaudhary has largely worked alone while facing health risks, snake encounters and limb infections.
The Biaora municipality provided a Poclain excavator to remove accumulated waste, debris and polythene.
Officials said residents joined the cleanup and that monsoon water helped clear some remaining debris.
Five major drains reportedly discharge wastewater into the river, prompting a proposed sewage treatment plant costing approximately ₹14.77 crore.
- Who
- Surendra Singh Chaudhary, a 21-year-old BSc student known as Bittu Tabahi, with support from Biaora municipal officials and residents.
- What
- A campaign to remove waste and debris from the polluted Ajnar River.
- Where
- The Ajnar River in Biaora, Madhya Pradesh.
- When
- The campaign began on January 26, 2026; officials also conduct annual pre-monsoon cleaning.
- Why
- To address pollution and accumulated waste, including untreated wastewater entering the river through five major drains.
Key facts
- Campaign organizer
- Surendra Singh Chaudhary, also known on social media as Bittu Tabahi
- Age and status
- 21-year-old BSc student
- Campaign start
- January 26, 2026
- Municipal support
- The municipality provided a Poclain excavator to remove old waste, debris and polythene
- Community participation
- Local residents joined the cleanup effort
- Pollution source
- Officials said five major drains discharge wastewater into the river
- Proposed solution
- A sewage treatment plant estimated to cost approximately ₹14.77 crore
Quotes
Rupesh Kumar Netam
Biaora Municipal Corporation sub-engineer
“The 'before-and-after' photos he posted on social media are based on this reality; the photos are authentic. The 'before' image shows the initial state, while the 'after' image shows the condition following the water flow that cleared the debris.”
NDTV
“There is a young man named Bittu (real name: Surendra Singh Chaudhary) who regularly cleans the Ajnar River in Biaora; the municipality also provides him with support in this effort.”
NDTV
Sources
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