Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam on Wednesday reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the natural environment of Dhanmondi Lake and preventing it from turning into a commercial zone.

“Dhanmondi Lake is not a commercial area. Dhaka city already suffers from a severe shortage of open breathing spaces for people. We want to preserve this lake in its original natural form,” he said.

The DSCC administrator made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting Dhanmondi Lake  on Wednesday afternoon.

During the visit, he expressed dissatisfaction over the presence of numerous restaurants and commercial establishments around the lake. “Our main objective should be to preserve nature here. But it appears that the entire area has been taken over by restaurants, which is not desirable at all. We will soon restore a healthy and pleasant environment,” he said.

Highlighting measures taken to ensure proper maintenance of the lake, the DSCC administrator said a monitoring committee comprising local residents and city corporation officials will be formed within the next week. The development and maintenance activities of the lake will be carried out based on the committee’s observations and recommendations.

He also stressed the importance of local community participation in protecting the lake’s environment.

“Long-term solutions cannot be ensured by police or the city corporation alone. We want local residents to act as guardians of the lake,” he said.

Salam also instructed officials to ensure that the cultural heritage of Rabindra Sarobar is preserved without causing any harm to the natural environment.

Responding to a question from journalists, he said that the effectiveness of DSCC drives can only be sustained if citizens are actively involved. With awareness and cooperation from local residents, Dhanmondi Lake will regain its familiar beauty, he added.

Architect Iqbal Habib, senior officials of the city corporation and local dignitaries were present during the visit.