Bittu Tabahi leads 100 people in massive clean-up of Bengaluru's Turahalli Forest
Bittu Tabahi, who went viral earlier this month for cleaning the heavily polluted Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh, has now taken his clean-up mission to Bengaluru where he led a team of 100 people in clearing waste from Turahalli Forest.
Turahalli Forest, located around 20 km from Bengaluru off Kanakapura Road, was cleaned by Bittu and his team as part of his efforts to spread awareness about keeping public spaces clean.
“I have been travelling to different states to spread awareness about my cleanliness drive,” Bittu said in an Instagram video documenting the clean-up.
Bittu and his team wore gloves and masks while clearing garbage from the forest. Some members used spades to dig into the ground and remove waste that had accumulated beneath the surface, before putting it into sacks.
A JCB was also brought in to clear areas where garbage had penetrated deep into the soil. The collected waste was then taken away in a recycling truck, with members of the team helping load the garbage.
Bittu said people in Bengaluru supported him during the cleanliness drive and joined his efforts to clean the forest.
Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Surendra singh choudhry (@bittu_tabahi)The 20-year-old, whose real name is Surendra Singh Choudhry, has been taking his clean-up efforts beyond his hometown after spending months removing plastic, discarded waste and other rubbish from the Ajnar River.
His work on the river received widespread attention on social media, where he documented the transformation through videos and before-and-after pictures.
Unlike a large-scale government campaign or an organised environmental initiative, Bittu largely carried out the work himself, funding basic supplies and repeatedly returning to the river to clear accumulated waste.
Bittu's efforts also led to a job offer from The Ocean Cleanup, the organisation founded by Dutch environmentalist Boyan Slat.
After receiving the offer, Bittu Tabahi shared a video thanking people for supporting his journey and asked them to suggest which state he should visit next to continue his clean-up mission.- EndsPublished By: Raya GhoshPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 13:38 IST
