Man Throws Garbage As Bittu Tabahi Cleans Ajnar River, Video Sparks Outrage

Surendra Singh Choudhary, popularly known as Bittu Tabahi, has been working to clean the Ajnar River, but keeping it clean has proved to be an uphill task. After months of removing waste from the waterbody, the 20-year-old environmental activist has returned to clean it, as plastic bags, discarded garlands, and other rubbish have begun piling up again. In a recent Instagram video, Choudhary shared his disappointment with the river's condition after the Navratri and Dussehra celebrations. He also alleged that a man threw garbage towards him while he was cleaning the waterbody.

The video shows Choudhary wearing gloves and removing waste from the river. At one point, a man standing on a bridge above him appears to throw a bag of garbage towards the area where he is working. Pointing out the man's actions, Choudhary said, While I am cleaning this river, an uncle is throwing garbage right over me."

The video also appears to show other instances of people throwing waste into the river as Choudhary and those assisting him continue their clean-up efforts.

Watch the video here:

Despite the repeated setbacks, the young activist has continued his work. In the video, he can be seen removing rubbish from the water, even as the growing pile of waste highlights the challenges of keeping the river clean. Choudhary also urged people to understand that protecting the river is a collective responsibility, rather than a task that should fall on one person alone.

"I have been putting so much effort into cleaning this river for months. But still, some people refuse to understand and continue throwing garbage into the river," he said. 

Bittu Tabahi's Months-Long Effort to Clean the River

Choudhary previously spent eight months removing tonnes of garbage from the Ajnar River, taking on the task without sophisticated equipment. His efforts have drawn attention online, earning him recognition for his commitment to cleaning the waterbody. However, the recurring accumulation of waste has highlighted the difficulty of sustaining such efforts without public cooperation.

In an earlier attempt to discourage littering, Choudhary placed two dustbins along the riverbank to encourage people to dispose of their waste responsibly. He later discovered that one of the bins was missing, leaving him disappointed.

The latest video has prompted strong reactions on social media, with several users expressing anger over people allegedly dumping garbage into the river while someone else works to clean it. Others praised Choudhary for continuing his efforts despite repeated setbacks.

One user tagged MP Police and wrote, "Please charge heavy penalties from the people who throw garbage in the river. @bittu_tabahi is not only citizen responsible for cleaning." Another commented, "Bittu yaar. Proud of you but also sad about this situation. May God bless you, and give you peace and love."

A third said, "Patching won't help. We need to fix the root cause—the leak is elsewhere," while a fourth added, "Civic sense is a critically endangered thing in India."