National Security Council should be more proactive in dealing with floods.

It is good to read that the National Security Council has responded swiftly to the imminent floods in the coming monsoon season, NSC roping in firms and fishermen to deal with floods but though floods are catastrophic events with tragic consequences, they are seasonal happenings and actually are symptoms of some serious underlying cause. Mobilising all sectors to help is great, but what the NSC should also keep in mind are the short and long term proactive steps to be taken to mitigate the effects of the flood.

One of the short term tasks is to survey and ensure that ALL drains, streams and rivers are cleared and not blocked by garbage and silt. WE need to do this BEFORE the floods arrive, and not as a knee jerk reaction, when it can be too late.

A long term policy for the NSC to consider is to include among its responsibilities, the role to protect our diminishing water catchment areas and hill slopes along the mountain ranges all over the nation. Fully forested catchment areas and hill slopes serve as a buffer for the tremendous amount of rainfall that is experienced in the tropics, and slow down the flow of water to the plains and the towns. Fully protected catchment areas also ensure sufficient potable water for our future generations.

We read frequently of another South Eastern nation {Philippines} which has suffered progressively more calamitous floods mainly due to excessive logging over the years, which has denuded its forests and hill slopes.

Let us plan and strategise with long term objectives in mind, while we move to immediately to combat any possible devastation the impending floods will bring to our country and to our citizens.