A 21-year-old BSc student in Madhya Pradesh has taken up the task of cleaning the polluted Ajnar River in Biaora, with the local municipality now supporting his efforts. Surendra Singh Chaudhary, known on social media as 'Bittu Tabahi', began his campaign on January 26, 2026. He has been cleaning waste and debris from the river largely on his own, despite health risks and encounters with snakes, news agency ANI reported.
Bittu Tabahi has also faced infections in his limbs while carrying out the clean-up near a local temple. His efforts have drawn attention on social media, where he has shared photographs showing the condition of the river before and after the clean-up.
Biaora Municipal Corporation Sub-Engineer Rupesh Kumar Netam said the municipality has supported Chaudhary's campaign by providing heavy machinery to remove accumulated waste.
"There is a young man named Bittu (real name: Surendra Singh Chaudhary) who regularly cleans the Ajnar River in Biaora; the municipality also provides him with support in this effort," Mr Netam said, according to ANI.
The municipality deployed a Poclain excavator to remove old waste, debris and polythene that had accumulated in the river. Mr Netam said local residents also joined the effort.
Watch the video here:
#WATCH | Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh: Surendra Singh Chaudhary, a 21-year-old https://t.co/j5uUgYTay8. student from Biaora, Rajgarh district, launches a single-handed cleanup campaign for the polluted Ajnar River.
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2026
Known on social media as 'Bittu Tabahi', Surendra started the drive… pic.twitter.com/dCtXI0ZoqM
"He started very well; we, along with the local citizens, contributed to cleaning the river," he said.
According to ANI, the municipality carries out cleaning of the river and drains every year before the monsoon. Mr Netam said the flow of water during the monsoon subsequently helped wash away some of the remaining debris.
He also said the photographs shared by Chaudhary on social media were genuine.
"The 'before-and-after' photos he posted on social media are based on this reality; the photos are authentic. The 'before' image shows the initial state, while the 'after' image shows the condition following the water flow that cleared the debris," Mr Netam said.
However, officials said the larger problem is untreated wastewater entering the river. Five major drains discharge into the Biaora River, according to ANI.
"To stop this wastewater, we have prepared a proposal to construct an STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) costing approximately ₹14.77 crore," Mr Netam said.
The proposed sewage treatment plant is aimed at addressing the flow of wastewater into the river and tackling the pollution problem at its source.
Chaudhary's campaign has meanwhile highlighted the condition of the Ajnar River and the challenges faced by citizens trying to clean polluted water bodies without professional equipment or resources.
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