Surendra Singh Choudhry, known as Bittu Tabahi, has been cleaning the polluted Ajnar River himself. His effort has drawn praise online while fuelling questions about municipal responsibility.
Surendra Singh Choudhry, popularly known online as Bittu Tabahi, has been tirelessly removing plastic, discarded waste and other rubbish from the heavily polluted Ajnar River and nearby public spaces in Madhya Pradesh. He is doing it independently, using his own money to purchase basic cleaning supplies and showing up without the backing of any official campaign.
In an Instagram post, Choudhry shared a striking before-and-after comparison of the river. The first image captures the extent of the pollution, while the second offers a glimpse of how much difference one determined individual can make.
Why does a 20-year-old have to step in to clean a public river in the first place?
Choudhry’s initiative has sparked a debate on social media over civic responsibility, municipal accountability and the apparent failure of authorities to keep public spaces clean.
Choudhry’s determination has earned him a substantial following online, with more than 296,000 followers on Instagram. His work also caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who highlighted the young man’s efforts in March, bringing even greater visibility to his grassroots campaign.


