Bittu Tabahi's river clean-up campaign reaches Delhi-NCR, removes 585 kg waste from Yamuna and 2,435 kg from Gurgaon

Sharing a video on Instagram, he said that he, along with other volunteers, cleaned the river for three days, and on the first day, removed roughly 585 kg of waste from the riverbank.

Surendra Singh Chaudhary, widely known as 'Bittu Tabahi', who gained fame after cleaning a heavily polluted river in Madhya Pradesh, has now removed 585 kg of waste from the Yamuna River in the national capital. The 21-year-old, who received a job offer from a Netherlands-based environmental organisation, conducted the cleanliness drive in Delhi on September 20, which marks World Cleanup Day.

Sharing a video on Instagram, he said that he, along with other volunteers, cleaned the river for three days, and on the first day, removed roughly 585 kg of waste from the riverbank.

Bittu Tabahi shared that the trash collected included religious offerings and plastic waste.

“September 20, World Cleanup Day. Four and a half hours of cleaning on the Yamuna bank, and together removed 585 kg of garbage,” he wrote in the caption of his post.

“Flower garlands, worship stuff, plastic, everything was scattered on the pier. People around came, handed out, and the whole edge was cleaned,” he said.

Pollution of the Yamuna has long been a major issue in Delhi politics. The subject has featured in election manifestos, with political parties vowing to clean the sacred river, while successive governments have unveiled plans to rid the river of pollution.

After cleaning the Yamuna, the 21-year-old took his cleanliness drive to Gurugram, resulting in 2,435 kg of waste being removed from Khedki Daula.

After Delhi and Gurugram, the campaign's final phase reached Noida. Bittu announced a cleanliness drive at Yuva Shakti Ghat in Sector 94, scheduled to begin at 6 am, and urged members of the public to join him in cleaning the Yamuna riverfront.

Who is Bittu Tabahi?

Chaudhary is from Biaora in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district. He has documented his cleanup work through videos posted on Instagram, showing himself removing plastic, algae, and other waste from the Ajnar River.

Bittu began his river-cleaning campaign on January 26, 2026, Republic Day. What initially started as an effort with a small group of friends gradually became a largely solo undertaking.

He has been clearing substantial amounts of waste from the river by hand, using basic equipment and, at times, working without adequate safety gear. Bittu has also spoken about the physical risks associated with the work, including infections, severe skin irritation and encounters with snakes while carrying out clean-up activities in and around the water.

The initiative has largely been financed from his personal savings. He has used his own money to purchase equipment and other supplies required for the clean-up drives.

His work to revive the Ajnar River eventually drew international attention. Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of Dutch environmental organisation The Ocean Cleanup, noticed Bittu's efforts and offered him a job.

About the Author

Kanishka Singharia is a Senior Content Producer at Mint with a passion for news, trends, and the stories shaping the digital world. She specialises in spotting viral narratives by constantly tracking social media platforms and turning them into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Her work ranges from fast-paced breaking updates to sensitive human-interest features, blending speed with clarity. <br><br> With over four years of experience in news and trend reporting, Kanishka has worked with leading organisations such as Hindustan Times and Times Now. She moves seamlessly between profiling business leaders and telling the stories of everyday people, covering national developments just as effortlessly as the memes and conversations that dominate online culture. <br><br> She also reports on real estate developments and civic challenges in major urban hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurugram. Her coverage frequently explores the struggles of startup founders, inspiring journeys of CEOs, and the experiences of candidates dealing with the complexities of visa processes. <br><br> Kanishka holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Delhi University and a diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Rarely offline, she spends much of her time scrolling through X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook in search of the next big story. When she finally logs off, she enjoys binge-watching shows and exploring cafes in pursuit of good food and better conversations.

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