Eight months of work down the drain: Bittu Tabahi finds Ajnar River choked with garbage again

Surendra Singh Choudhary, aka Bittu Tabahi, shared a disappointing update showing the Ajnar River littered with plastic and garbage again after eight months of cleanup. Despite the setback, he resumed removing waste and sought suggestions online.

Surendra Singh Choudhary, the 20-year-old known online as Bittu Tabahi, who drew widespread attention for cleaning the Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh largely on his own, shared a disappointing update about the river on his Instagram account on Tuesday.

In a video, Tabahi showed the present condition of the Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, saying that his eight months of hard work had been wasted. He highlighted a disappointing contrast with its condition a few weeks ago, when the river was clean. As of Tuesday, it was once again covered with plastic bags and garbage.

Eight months of work wasted: Bittu Tabahi

Tabahi, who earned recognition last month from many people, including those far beyond his town, for cleaning rivers largely on his own, has constantly drawn attention to the recurring problem of river pollution and the lack of responsibility on the part of citizens. Over two days, he shared two videos highlighting the dire state of the river. These videos came weeks after he shared another video showing the banks of the Ajnar River completely clean.

Tabahi spent almost eight months cleaning the river the first time and pulled tonnes of garbage out of it, without any support from authorities or any fancy equipment. However, after seeing the river polluted again, he resumed cleaning it and pulling out trash bags, one at a time. In his video, he also highlights that although he is not a strong swimmer, he is cautiously continuing his efforts to clean the Ajnar River.

He also asked people to share suggestions online that would help him remove garbage from the river more swiftly and efficiently.

Social media reactions

Following Tabahi’s video, several people praised his efforts on social media and applauded him for his courage in cleaning the river again. While one user wrote, “That's an awful amount of waste floating in the water beneath that bridge! It must be frustrating to face this every time, but please don't give up. Your hard work deserves so much appreciation,” another offered advice, suggesting that he wear appropriate clothing for this type of cleaning, including special boots and special pants.

A third user highlighted the root cause of the problem: “Talk to the Municipal Corporation and get a fine imposed for dumping garbage here. Otherwise, this will keep happening.”

Who is Bittu Tabahi?

A resident of Biaora in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, Choudhary shares videos of his cleanup efforts on Instagram, recording how he removes plastic, algae, and other waste from the Ajnar River.

Reports say he began the initiative in January this year and has cleared accumulated garbage from stretches of the river. Digital content creator KR Talks claimed that Choudhary spent approximately ₹30,000 on the work.

He has previously received appreciation from industrialist Anand Mahindra and also received a job offer from Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of Netherlands-based environmental organisation The Ocean Cleanup.

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.