Catchments not retaining water

Main source: A view of the Sungai Selangor dam and its water level at the end of June.

PETALING JAYA: Rampant land clearing for development and farming near buffer zones is putting a strain on the country’s water catchment areas and preventing our dams from filling up despite sporadic rain and cloud seeding efforts.

Forestry and environment experts here have cautioned that unless water catchment areas are gazetted and protected, water basins are in danger of rapidly drying up.