Did Bittu Tabahi Clean Rivers For Views?

Bittu Tabahi is a young environmental activist from Madhya Pradesh who has dedicated himself to cleaning a heavily polluted river. His nickname 'Bittu' dates back to childhood, while 'Tabahi' (meaning destruction/ruin) was adopted to channel the nickname toward meaningful work. He describes a fundamental behavioral problem where people first pollute their own bodies and then dispose of waste into the river, creating a cycle where cleaned sections become dirty again shortly after. Bittu has faced considerable health consequences from this work, including severe leg damage and hand infections from exposure to contaminated water. He experiences physical symptoms including pain that prevents him from sleeping at night. The work is dangerous—he has encountered snakes multiple times while cleaning, and attributes his safety to wearing protective shoes. Despite these hazards, community support has been limited, with some people verbally abusing him and questioning why he should care for something that isn't his family's property. His family largely refuses to support his efforts. Physically, Bittu maintains his health through a simple diet of dal and roti, and considers the manual labor of using a shovel as his primary form of exercise. When asked whether he anticipated going viral on social media, he clarified that he never expected such attention and began this work without any thought of internet fame. When pressed on whether he would continue if he hadn't gone viral, the question remains unanswered in the transcript, leaving ambiguity about his true motivations.