For several months, 20-year-old Surendra Singh Chaudhary, popularly known as “Bittu Tabahi” on social media, has been working to clean Madhya Pradesh’s polluted Ajnar River. Armed with little more than determination, he has been removing plastic, bottles, algae and other waste from the river.What began as a personal effort on January 26, Republic Day, has now turned into a viral social media movement, earning praise from industrialist Anand Mahindra and former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.But Bittu’s journey has not been easy. He was mocked by some people and called “crazy”. Repeatedly entering polluted water also affected his health, causing infections and skin problems.
Why Did Bittu Start Cleaning the Ajnar River?
Bittu, a second-year BSc student from Biaora in Rajgarh district, said the condition of the river had bothered him for a long time.“Every time when I went to the temple or saw the river, I noticed the pollution there. I had this idea for some time, but kept putting it off,” he told .He finally began cleaning the river on January 26 and continued the work for months.Initially, some of his friends joined him. However, their involvement gradually decreased, leaving Bittu to carry out much of the work himself.
He Kept Entering the Polluted Water
Bittu did not restrict his efforts to the riverbank. He repeatedly entered the polluted water to remove plastic bottles, algae and other waste.When he started, he did not have proper protective equipment. He also reportedly did not know how to swim when he first entered the river.The work eventually began taking a toll on his health.
His Hands and Feet Developed Infections
Bittu’s determination came at a physical cost.He told that he developed an infection in his foot, leaving him with a slight problem.In an earlier interaction with media, he also spoke about the effects of spending long periods in polluted water, saying the skin on his hands and feet had started peeling.Despite these problems, Bittu continued returning to the river.His family later became concerned about his safety and advised him not to enter the polluted water alone.
His Family Initially Did Not Know
Bittu’s family was initially unaware of the extent of his river-cleaning efforts. They learned about his work after Anand Mahindra shared his story on X.After finding out what he had been doing, his family expressed concern about his health and safety. Bittu said they warned him that repeatedly entering polluted water could affect his health and asked him not to do it alone.
Bittu Spent Around ₹30,000 on the Clean-Up
The clean-up campaign has largely been funded through Bittu and his friends’ own contributions.According to reports, they spent around ₹30,000 on basic cleaning equipment and dustbins. Bittu also personally installed several dustbins around the river and said he did not receive funding for them.The initiative therefore began as a personal effort by a college student who wanted to improve the condition of a river near his home, rather than as a government-backed environmental programme.
“I Don’t Know Why People Throw Garbage in the River”
For Bittu, cleaning the river is only part of the solution. He has also questioned why people continue to dump waste into the water.“I don’t know why people throw garbage in the river,” he told The Times of India, pointing out that people could simply dispose of their waste in dustbins.To make waste disposal easier, he installed dustbins around the river.He has also worked with religious offerings found in the river and reportedly converted the collected material into compost instead of allowing it to remain in the water.
What Does the Ajnar River Look Like Now?
After months of work, Bittu says the section of the Ajnar River where he has been working is now “very clean.”His before-and-after videos have become a major part of his social media campaign, showing the condition of the river before and after the clean-up.However, Bittu does not consider the work complete. He now wants to expand the initiative on a much larger scale.
From Local Student to Viral Internet Sensation
Bittu’s efforts received a major boost after Anand Mahindra shared his story online.Mahindra described the young student as his “Monday Motivation” and highlighted his decision to physically clean a polluted river.He also noted the potential positive impact of social media, suggesting that even if attention and likes motivate someone to do meaningful work, the result can still benefit society.The post helped Bittu’s efforts reach a much wider audience.
Kevin Pietersen Also Praises Bittu
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen also praised Bittu’s efforts.Sharing pictures of the young environmentalist and his clean-up work, Pietersen described his efforts as heroic and said they deserved international recognition.The support from prominent personalities helped turn Bittu’s local initiative into a widely discussed environmental story.
People Once Called Him “Crazy”
The attention Bittu receives today is very different from the reaction he faced when he first started.He has said that some people mocked him and called him “crazy”. Others even asked him to clean their drains after seeing him working in the river.Instead of giving up, Bittu continued returning to the Ajnar River.His persistence eventually changed the way many people viewed his efforts.
Bittu Responds to Claims That His Videos Are AI-Generated
As his popularity grew, so did criticism.Some social media users questioned whether the dramatic before-and-after transformation shown in his videos was genuine and suggested that artificial intelligence may have been used to create the images.
Bittu responded to the claims in an Instagram video.He said he had spent around two-and-a-half months working on the river and urged people to look at the amount of garbage that had been present before the clean-up.He also explained that heavy dirt and accumulated waste required the use of a JCB machine during part of the cleaning process.His message was clear: the transformation was the result of physical labour, not AI.
“I Have Done This Work With My Hard Work”
Responding to questions about the authenticity of his videos, Bittu said he had carried out the work through his own efforts.He challenged viewers to compare the condition of the river before and after the clean-up and judge the transformation for themselves.For Bittu, the issue is not really about social media or viral videos. His main concern remains the condition of the river and the continued dumping of waste into it.
What’s Next for Bittu?
Bittu is still a 20-year-old BSc student, but he already has plans to expand his environmental efforts.
He told that he wants to take the initiative to a “bigger level.”He does not yet have a formal organisation or a fixed name for his next project. For now, his goal is to take the work beyond the Ajnar River and continue his fight against pollution.