A seemingly hasty decision to restrict voluntary organisations from distributing free food in landslide-wracked Wayanad has led to confusion, with the outfits now insisting on government clearance before resuming the supply of meal packets to relief workers.

Kerala revenue minister K. Rajan on Monday said voluntary organisations were free to distribute food upto the temporary bridge connecting Mundakkai, where search operations are still underway.

However, he clarified that “only the government is allowed to distribute food to relief workers, especially army personnel”.

The voluntary organisations argue that they had distributed food packets for five days beginning Tuesday when the landslides hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad until the order put a stop to it. The landslides have left nearly 400 dead, 180 missing and forced more than 10,000 residents into relief camps.

Countering the allegations, Rajan said: “These issues are being created deliberately with certain other motives. There is no restriction for voluntary organisations to distribute food.”

“I have already issued an instruction to remove any obstacle in distributing food by voluntary organisations,” he added.

However, social organisations such as the White Guards affiliated with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Seva Bharati alleged that they were told not to distribute food.

State president of Seva Bharati Dr Ranjith Hari said his organisation was ready to feed any number of people if the government wanted them to. “We are ready to provide cooked food or raw materials. But sadly we were asked not to distribute food (in the disaster-affected areas),” he told The Telegraph on Monday.

“All we want is an assurance that we won’t be stopped from providing food to the needy. There are displaced people and relief and rescue workers who need food and water,” added the gastroenterological surgeon who heads the organisation engaged in relief work and food distribution.

Muslim Youth League secretary P.K. Firos said the IUML — his parent party — and its feeder organisations had decided not to resume food distribution until the state government comes forward with a request.

“At a meeting held today in Wayanad, we decided not to resume food distribution until the government asks us to. Our volunteers also need entry passes issued by the district administration if they want us to distribute food,” he told this newspaper on Monday.

Asked about Rajan’s denial of any restriction on food distribution, Firos pointed out the Wayanad district collector’s Facebook post on Sunday in which she urged voluntary outfits to refrain from distributing food as the government made the necessary arrangements to feed the workers and people taking shelter in relief camps.

“If food safety is the only concern, we are ready to provide samples of whatever we distribute. The government food safety authorities can test them before every meal to ensure their safety and quality,” Firos said.