In Madhya Pradesh, the Ajnar River was once the lifeline of its town.

Over time, that lifeline began to choke.

Plastic waste piled up along its banks. Drainage pipes emptied directly into its waters. The stench grew so unbearable that people stopped going near it. What was once a shared public space slowly turned into a neglected, polluted stretch — ignored by most who lived around it.

But this Republic Day, something changed.

A 19-year-old, Bittu Tabahi, decided........

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