Ahmedabad: Gujarat will have two representatives on the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), the country’s apex advisory body on wildlife conservation, following fresh appointments announced by the Central Government.

According to a recent gazette notification, former Principal Chief Wildlife Warden of Gujarat, Dr. Chhavi Nath Pandey, has been appointed as a member of the board. A retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Pandey has held several key posts in the state, including Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force. He is currently serving as Professor of Practice at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-G).

The Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation (GEER), Gandhinagar, has also been included as a representative from the state. The institution, which functions under the state Forest Department, has earlier been associated with the board.

The notification lists representatives from several states, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep, along with Gujarat.

The National Board for Wildlife advises the government on wildlife conservation policies, reviews projects near protected areas and plays a key role in biodiversity protection. Gujarat’s presence on the board is expected to strengthen issues related to conservation, including protection of the Asiatic lion under Project Lion. DeshGujarat