Kathmandu, August 18

The Supreme Court today stayed the government’s single-window policy to distribute relief materials to victims of natural disasters.

The government had, on August 14, decided to distribute relief materials through the government channel, barring private individuals and national and international organisations from directly distributing relief materials to victims.

The SC issued an interim order today against the government responding to a petition filed by Advocate Sunil Ranjan Singh. The case was heard by a single bench of Justice Om Prakash Mishra. The apex court also issued a show cause notice to the government.

The petitioner argued that the government’s relief and rescue operation in the flood-affected areas was miserably slow and many flood victims were yet to get assistance from the government.

The petitioner added that instead of seeking national and international assistance to comfort flood victims, the government decided on August 14 to impose single-window relief distribution policy that would further victimise flood victims.  He urged the court to order the government not to prevent national and international organisations from distributing relief materials to victims of natural disasters.

Advocate Singh also demanded that the government declare emergency in flood-affected areas.

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