For months, 20-year-old Surendra Singh Chaudhary has been entering into the polluted Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh and pulling out plastic, bottles, algae and different waste along with his personal arms. The BSc pupil from Biaora in Rajgarh district began the clean-up on January 26, Republic Day. He had considered doing it for a while. At any time when he went to a temple or handed by the river, the situation of the water bothered him.Then, on January 26, he determined to cease eager about it and begin cleansing. “I began this work on the twenty sixth of January. And I’ve been doing it ever since,” Bittu informed TOI. He initially had pals serving to him. However step by step, some stopped taking part. Bittu continued with the work, returning repeatedly to the river and its ghats.On-line, he is called “Bittu Tabahi”, and movies of his clean-up have now turned him right into a viral sensation.
He had been eager about the river for some time
Picture Courtesy: Instagram/@bittu_tabahi
Bittu’s resolution to scrub the Ajnar was not sudden. As he informed TOI, he would take into consideration the river every time he went to a temple or handed by it. “I used to consider it beforehand. At any time when I used to go to the temple or went previous the river, I used to consider cleansing the river,” he mentioned.On January 26, he lastly determined to start. He didn’t have a big workforce ready for him. He had a couple of pals, however their involvement modified with time. “Sure, I had pals. However step by step, issues began to alter. Some folks appreciated it and a few did not,” he informed TOI. Ultimately, a lot of the work was left to Bittu.He repeatedly entered the polluted water to take away plastic, algae and different waste. What started as a small native effort continued for months.
His household didn’t even know at first
One of many extra uncommon particulars of Bittu’s story is that his household was initially unaware of the dimensions of what he was doing. When requested by TOI whether or not his household had ever informed him to not undertake the work, Bittu mentioned they didn’t find out about it initially. “My household did not find out about it,” he mentioned. His work turned identified to them after Anand Mahindra shared it on X. “They came upon when Anand Mahindra posted it on Twitter,” Bittu informed TOI. The publish had introduced his work a lot wider consideration, and his household ultimately discovered what he had been doing.They weren’t completely snug with him coming into the polluted river alone. “They informed me to not do it alone. Your well being will likely be affected and issues like that,” Bittu mentioned. Their concern was justified.
The polluted water affected his well being
Earlier than and after movies of his clean-up have now turned him right into a viral sensation.
Bittu has already suffered well being issues due to the clean-up. He informed TOI that he developed infections on his foot and nonetheless has a slight downside. In an earlier interview with The Indian Categorical, he additionally spoke in regards to the impact of extended publicity to the polluted water. He mentioned the pores and skin on his arms and toes had began peeling.Regardless of the well being issues, he continued returning to the river. He additionally reportedly started the work with out correct protecting gear and didn’t know how one can swim when he first began coming into the water. The hassle has subsequently concerned greater than merely choosing up rubbish from the riverbank. Bittu has repeatedly gone into the contaminated water to take away waste that had gathered there.
He spent round Rs 30,000 on the hassle
Bittu’s clean-up has additionally been a private monetary effort. In line with reviews, he and his pals pooled cash to buy fundamental gear and dustbins. The expenditure on the initiative has been reported at round Rs 30,000. Bittu informed TOI that the dustbins positioned across the river had been put in by him.“I had put in a couple of dustbins as properly across the river. Dustbins had been put in on my own solely, no funding from anybody,” he informed TOI. That element is necessary as a result of the initiative has not been described as a government-funded river-cleaning programme. It started as a university pupil’s private effort.
“I do not know why folks throw rubbish within the river”
Bittu says one of many issues he finds hardest to grasp is why folks proceed to throw waste into the river.“I do not know why folks throw rubbish within the river. I do not know why they do this. You’ll be able to’t cease them,” he informed TOI. That can also be the issue he sees past the bodily clean-up. Eradicating the prevailing rubbish could make a stretch of the river look cleaner. However conserving it that approach requires folks to cease placing contemporary waste into it.Bittu has tried to handle a few of that downside by putting in dustbins across the river. He has additionally labored with spiritual choices collected from the river, turning the fabric into compost as a substitute of permitting it to stay within the water.
What’s the Ajnar River like now?
After months of labor, Bittu says the stretch he has labored on is now “very clear”. Requested by TOI whether or not the river is definitely as clear because it seems in his movies, he mentioned it presently is. “It’s presently very clear,” he mentioned. The before-and-after movies have turn out to be an necessary a part of his marketing campaign as a result of they permit folks to see the change for themselves. However Bittu says the work will not be completed.
He desires to take the work to a much bigger degree
Bittu says one of many issues he finds hardest to grasp is why folks proceed to throw waste into the river.
The 20-year-old doesn’t wish to cease with the Ajnar. “At present, I wish to do it on a much bigger degree,” he informed TOI. He’s nonetheless a second-year BSc pupil and says he doesn’t have a concrete title or formal construction for what he desires to construct subsequent. “Naam toh abhi kuch nahi hua hai abhi, dekhte hain… aur isse bada karne ki sochte hain,” he mentioned. For now, the plan is solely to do one thing larger.
Anand Mahindra observed him first
Bittu’s work acquired a serious enhance in visibility after industrialist Anand Mahindra shared his story on X. Mahindra described Bittu as his “Monday Motivation” and highlighted the truth that a younger man was bodily cleansing a polluted river. Mahindra additionally defended the function of social media in such efforts. He argued that if the need for likes or consideration encourages somebody to do significant work, there’s worth in that focus. His publish helped Bittu’s native effort attain a a lot bigger viewers.
Now Kevin Pietersen has backed him
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has additionally just lately praised Bittu. Pietersen shared pictures of the younger man and his clean-up work and wrote: “I learn this story this am and wished to share it with you! WELL DONE, Bhai! Heroic, I say! Deserves worldwide recognition!”Bittu has mentioned that folks mocked him, known as him “loopy” and even requested him to scrub their drains. “They make enjoyable of me, name me loopy,” he informed The Indian Categorical. His household, too, was initially unaware of what he was doing.Now, his work has been observed by folks throughout India and by an internationally identified former cricketer. However the consideration has additionally introduced an surprising criticism. Some folks have questioned whether or not the dramatic transformation proven in his movies is real or whether or not AI was used to create the before-and-after photographs. Bittu has now answered these questions himself.
“I’ve finished this work with my exhausting work”
In a current Instagram video, Bittu responds to individuals who have been calling his river-cleaning movies AI-generated. “After cleansing the river a lot, folks will name it AI,” he says. He explains that he has spent round two-and-a-half months engaged on the river and asks folks to have a look at the quantity of rubbish that was there earlier than.“I used to scrub the river by breaking it. Then I used JCB’s assist to scrub the grime within the river. You’ll be able to see that I’ve not finished this work with AI,” he says. He then makes his level straight: “I’ve finished this work with my exhausting work.” Bittu ends the video by asking viewers whether or not they imagine his work is AI.
From being known as ‘loopy’ to being known as ‘heroic’
Bittu’s story has subsequently taken an uncommon flip. The identical younger man who says folks in his locality made enjoyable of him and known as him loopy is now being praised publicly by the entire India.