The Hamari Nag River was a proposal by Alag Angle to stimulate citizen participation in the preservation of the Nag River, through a series of summer programs such as talks, seminars and workshops with youth and adults. The intention of this project was to spread awareness about the high level of pollution in the water, as well as collectively consider preventative measures and possible solutions to improve the existing damage.

Within Nagpur, there were already different organisations that had proposed different ways of cleaning and maintain the river. Some of these projects had employed serious research, and had come up with a variety of workable solutions for river maintenance. One such project was that proposed by the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI), which had suggested using a new technology of “Phytorid Wastewater Treatment”. The specialty of the technology is that the sewage will be treated without any treatment plant and water may be utilized for irrigation, watering of gardens and fountains. With this technology, Nag River’s sewage water may be treated and greenery could be developed along the river in stretches. With the help of citizen participation, Alag Angle hoped to further publish the efforts of organizations like NEERI.

During the course of the project, Alag Angle organized a series of activities, workshops and interventions. One such initiative was the Riverside Wall painting, which invited the citizens residing along the chosen 2 Km long stretch to join the activity. Alongside the river, Alag Angle also installed artistic information boards which were designed in collaboration with a group of school children. The students had the opportunity to learn the basics of graphic communication from a local Nagpur designer, an initiative that assisted them to clearly evoke their sentiments through visual communications. Themes introduced onto these informational poster boards included information on Wastewater Treatment and conservation programs. During the workshops, the children were also introduced to the concept of bio-diversity preservation, and encouraged to design informational posters that introduced the natural resources of the river, such as the specific flora and fauna that inhabited the area. Students also included the recreational value of the River in the information boards, describing the bird watching spots and spots favoured by amateur and professional nature photographers.

A major ongoing activity during the course of the project were several talks and open forum discussions, inviting different researchers, artists, government representatives and local persons who had been invested in improving the Nag River. To kick start the project, the artists invited local architect Pradyumna Sahasrabhojani, who spoke on the subject ‘Nagpur towards an Eco City?’ As a respected senior architect in Nagpur, his talk lent a certain gravitas to the project.

To convey the message of their project in a way that could be easily accessed, Alag Angle organized a travelling exhibition with the title ‘Enlightened Perspectives’, which showcased the talent and varied perspectives of students and city youth concerned with preserving the Nag River.