Nagpur: In a loss for Nagpur and Vidarbha region, even as the inaugural flight from here carrying livestock exports to UAE was grounded after protests by members of the Jain community, the traffic continues from Nashik.Since last three years, flights carrying goats and sheep have been taking off from Nashik for the UAE. Around three flights took off this week, including one carrying around 1,500 animals on Sunday.Based on the Nashik model, Dr Vikas Mahatme, Rajya Sabha member and leader of Dhangars — a community of sheep rearers — had lobbied to make arrangements for such exports from Nagpur too. The idea was to get some business for sheep and goat rearers in Vidarbha.The first flight was planned on June 30 with much fanfare. The event was supposed to be attended by union commerce minister Suresh Prabhu. The flight was, however, called off at the eleventh hour following the protests. It was decided to take the protesters into confidence first.At Nashik, where the exports have been a low profile affair, business continues as usual. Those involved in the exports from there say it’s a lost opportunity for Nagpur. A different group of exporters, aviation companies and handling agents are involved in the Nashik operations. On this, those who had planned to take the Nagpur route are complaining of discrimination. They questioned why exports from Nagpur were stopped if they are happening from Nashik.“Why should there be dual standards? Nagpur and Nashik are in the same state, having same laws. Would exporting livestock from Nashik not harm the sentiments of anyone,” questioned an official attached to a logistics company involved in the export from here.Now those who opted for the Nagpur route cannot operate, but business is as usual from Nashik, he said. It was estimated that a demand of one lakh livestock may be met through the Nagpur channel. The exporters were supposed to purchase the animals as and when an order was placed, he said. It may be difficult to shift to the Nashik route now for those who had planned to take the consignments from Nagpur, the source said.Mahatme said if the Nagpur channel was opened, it would have helped farmers in Vidarbha. To start off, animals for the first consignment were sourced from Gujarat and Rajasthan, but eventually they would have been purchased from farmers in Vidarbha. Now, talks will have to be held with the protesters first.

Stay updated with all the Latest Nagpur headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.