The Supreme Court on Friday issued an interim order to the government to not implement its earlier decision to adopt one-door policy in relief distribution to flood victims.

Responding to a writ filed by advocate Sunil Ranjan Singh, a single bench of Justice Om Prakash Mishra issued the order.

Floods caused by torrential rains last week wreaked havoc in districts along the plains, leaving at least 135 dead. Millions of people have been affected by the one of the worst floods in many years.

The government on Monday had decided to adopt one-door policy, citing possibility of uneven distribution and chaos.

The apex court on Friday also directed the government to immediately distribute relief materials and ensure treatment to the injured.

The government move of one-door policy in relief distribution had drawn criticism from several quarters, with many saying the “red tape” could block those people who had already reached the flood-affected areas from attending to the affected when they were in dire need of essentials like food, clean drinking water and basic medicines.

The bench has also instructed the government to make relief distribution more effective.

The government on Thursday released Rs 1 billion for flood victims.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Friday that a humanitarian crisis is unfolding across large areas in South Asia, with more than 16 million people affected by monsoon floods in Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

“This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years and urgent action is needed to meet the growing needs of millions of people affected by these devastating floods,” said Martin Faller, deputy regional director for Asia Pacific, IFRC.

“Millions of people across Nepal, Bangladesh and India face severe food shortages and disease caused by polluted flood waters,” Faller said. “More than one third of Bangladesh and Nepal have been flooded and we fear the humanitarian crisis will get worse in the days and weeks ahead,” Faller said.

Around 5 million people have been affected by floods caused by torrential monsoon rains in the districts along Nepal’s plains last weekend.

Rs 70 a day for each affected to buy food

KATHMANDU: The government has decided to provide Rs 70 a day for each flood-affected to buy foodstuff. Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma said on Friday that the government has decided to provide the cash for a month, which the flood-affected people can use to buy foods from local shops as well as stores to be set up by Nepal Food Corporation. The cash will be distributed through concerned district administration offices. “Concerned chief district officers will soon start distributing the money,” he said. Though the government has updated the death toll from recent floods in 30 districts to 135, it is yet to ascertain the total number affected people. Sharma also did not say how many people would get the Rs 70 daily allowance. The government has decided to provide Rs 70 in cash for each flood victim to minimise “the chances of flood victims getting rotten rice”, he said. (PR)