Surendra Singh Choudhary, popularly known as “Bittu Tabahi,” is recognized for spending months cleaning a heavily polluted river in Madhya Pradesh, removing plastic waste, algae and other debris. Multiple outlets describe his work as largely self-directed and focused on a river stretch behind a temple area.
Reports say his efforts gained wide attention through social media and praise from public figures. NDTV, Times of India and India Today link that visibility to an invitation tied to Dutch environmentalist Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup. Several outlets state that Slat offers him a chance to “come work for us,” framing the potential role as an opportunity to scale up similar river and ocean waste-removal work.
Some coverage also includes details of a follow-up challenge: a later video shows the river ghat again becoming dirty, with claims that a drum meant for collecting waste or puja materials was broken and thrown into the river. Free Press Journal presents Bittu’s appeal to residents to stop polluting and use the designated collection drum. Other outlets focus more on the job offer and responses from leaders such as Anand Mahindra and Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav.
