The Ajnar River in Radgarh attracts attention not only due to efforts to clean it but also because of discrepancies between the claims of one young man and data obtained from ground investigations. A young man named Surendra Singh Chaudhary, known on social media as 'Bittu Tabahi,' published videos demonstrating his work in cleaning the river. These videos quickly went viral, and his activities received high praise from industrialist Anand Mahandra, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and former English cricketer Kevin Petersen.
However, another perspective has emerged regarding the cleaning of the Ajnar River. Local residents, the 'Save Ajnar' Committee, and municipal officials assert that the river cleaning has been carried out through collective efforts over many years. The Committee states that Surendra Singh Chaudhary is also a member and participated in cleanup campaigns. This has sparked a debate in the city regarding his claims of single-handedly cleaning the river on social media.
Nevertheless, it remains undeniable that Bittu initiated the cleaning process by entering the river and drawing a large number of people to the issue through social media.
Young Man Entered the River on January 26
Surendra Singh Chaudhary, a resident of Byawara, is an undergraduate student (B.Sc) and is known on social media as 'Bittu Tabahi.' On January 26, 2026, Republic Day, he inspected the condition of the Ajnar River and decided to clean it. The river had accumulated numerous pollutants, including plastic, bottles, aquatic weeds, silt, and other garbage.
Bittu began removing waste while in the river. Initially, some friends joined him, but subsequently, he worked mostly alone. During the cleanup, he filmed videos and started sharing before-and-after photos of the river on social media, which gradually drew public attention to his story.
He spent about 30 thousand rupees from his own pocket on the river cleaning campaign. These funds were used to purchase necessary equipment and trash bins. He also attempted to separate waste generated from puja rituals and turn it into compost. This work proved difficult: he developed an infection due to immersion in the contaminated water, but he continued the cleanup. He explained that he decided to undertake this work on Republic Day, January 26, to benefit the community.
'Bittu' received much praise on social media but also faced criticism. Some accused him of creating river cleaning videos for likes and views. Bittu responded to this with his work, constantly posting before-and-after photos and videos of the river. Later, the Byevara Municipal Sub-engineer, Rupesh Kumar Netam, confirmed the authenticity of his before-and-after pictures on social media.
Dispute Over 'Solo Cleanup' Arises
After Bittu's story went viral, a ground investigation into the Ajnar River cleaning situation revealed another side. According to the 'Save Ajnar' Committee and local residents, the river cleaning was not done by one person. They claim that since 2016, the 'Save Ajnar' Committee and the municipality have conducted annual river cleaning campaigns. The Committee also states that Bittu Tabahi is its member and participated in these cleanup efforts. The Committee believes that he is interested in creating social media reels, while the actual river cleaning is the result of collective efforts. Local residents also noted the contribution of citizens to the river cleanup, as well as the fact that strong currents during rains brought a lot of debris. This raises the question: should all credit for the Ajnar River cleaning be given to one person, or should collective efforts be taken into account?
Despite the disputes, Bittu Tabahi presented his viewpoint. He stated that everyone helped in the river cleaning. Although committee members sometimes attended the cleanup, he himself visited the river daily and worked on the cleanup. Thus, the debate shifted from 'who cleaned' to 'who contributed more.'
Following Bittu's initiative, the municipality also got involved in the cleaning campaign. Machines such as JCB and Poklolen were deployed to remove old waste and debris from the river. According to the municipal official, Bittu started the cleanup, and then local residents also contributed. Furthermore, some waste left after heavy rainfall was carried away by the current. That is, the initiative started by one young man gradually turned into a collective cleaning campaign. However, the real problem of the Ajnar River is much more serious than just removing plastic and garbage. According to the municipal official, dirty water from five major drains enters the Ajnar River in Byawara. Until the water from these drains...