The Union government has appointed Uday Vora, who is currently the chief conservator of forests, Gujarat, as the member of the National Wetland Committee.
Vora, regarded as an expert in the wildlife and forest affairs in Gujarat, will be the member along with Arvind Kumar, president, Chair Founder of India Water Foundation Hydrology, BC Jha, former principal scientist, ex-officio Head, Reservoir & Wetland Fisheries Division, CIFRI Fisheries and also director, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi Landscape planning.
The Committee has been formed under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 superseding the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. The National Wetlands Committee under the chairpersonship of secretary, MOEF&CC has been constituted vide Rule-6 of the said rules.
Vora is the third person from Gujarat to find a place in national committee. Earlier it was HS Singh who was appointed as the member of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife and later it was CN Pandey who was appointed as chairman of the 14-member Expert Appraisal Committee for Environment Clearance to Industry-I projects. Industry-I category includes cement plants, minerals, metallurgical industries and leather industry, among others.