Nashik(14-July-2012) NAGPUR:(KIRTI RANSHOOR): Wildlife Activist, Environmentalist, Social worker and Founder President of Eco-Pro (Ecological Protection Organisation) Bandu Dhotre who went on an indefinite fast on July 2 in front of Van Bhavan, the State Forest Department’s Headquarters in Nagpur to urge the Government to take effective measures for the protection of wildlife, ended his fast on Wednesday evening after the State Government’s assurances that it would fulfill most of the demands made by him for the effective protection of wildlife. He was hospitalized on July 10. Now he is fine. Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam had called a meeting in Mumbai to consider the demands. Pravin Pardeshi, Principal Secretary, Revenue & Forest Departments, Maharashtra State held talks with Cabinet Ministers of Vidarbha (Eastern Region of Maharashtra), Rajendra Mulak, Minister of State for Finance & Planning, Energy, Water Resources & Parliamentary Affairs; Shivajirao Moghe, Minister of State for Social Justice; Nitin Raut, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry; Anil Deshmukh, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies; State Environment Minister Sanjay Deotale, senior journalist Shyam Pandharipande, Swanand Soni of Srushti Paryavaran Mandal and Dhirendra Mulkalwar of Eco-Pro. The government gave assurance that almost all the demands will be met, except merging forest area under the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra [FDCM] in Chandrapur District with territorial forests. The government assured that hereafter wildlife protection will be the priority of FDCM. Accordingly, wildlife management plan will be introduced by the government for FDCM. “But we will continue the movement until the government decides to merge the FDCM forest with territorial forests to preserve the natural heritage. A committee comprising forest officials and NGOs will be set up by the Government to watch over the implementation of the plans,” Mr. Dhotre told Deshdoot Times on phone from Nagpur. “Chandrapur will be declared as a 'Tiger District'. The Government had put the protection of wildlife existing ouside tiger projecs on the back burner. But now tigers in the non-protected areas will be protected on the lines of protected areas,” he further said. “The agitation provided a platform to wildlife activists. My message, raising awareness about effective wildlife protection reached wildlife activists across the state. Now a strategy will be devised to accomplish the goal of foolproof protection of wildlife. Efforts will be taken to achieve coordination between different NGOs and wildlife activists across the State. We will launch a systematic campaign. The agitation might have ended, but the movement will continue... with greater passion than ever,” he concluded.