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National government compensation to help Lorca to recover from the damage caused by the DANA storm in March is too little, too late, according to the City Council.
A spokesperson for City Hall described the aid as “deeply disappointing” and expressed their “absolute disagreement” with the document announcing the call for applications for grants to recover damages to municipal infrastructure and the provincial road network, which appeared without any prior notice in the Official State Bulletin (BOE) on September 12.
As a result of the floods on March 2 and 3 and the heavy rain between March 6 and 13, one fatality was reported in Ramonete, along with extensive damage to municipal infrastructure, homes, businesses, agriculture and livestock, estimated at around €13 million.
The Local Government Board agreed to request all the necessary measures from the Spanish Government on March 20.
Just the damage caused by the rain to municipal infrastructure, buildings, equipment, facilities and services amounts to approximately €3 million.
Moreover, many citizens, small and medium-sized businesses, and self-employed workers are still asking the council about direct aid for damage to homes, industrial, commercial and service establishments; tax relief on property tax (IBI), personal income tax (IRPF), and business tax (IAE); social protection measures for workers; and aid for the agricultural and livestock sectors for losses in production.
“This announcement is clearly insufficient to support the municipality’s recovery following the severe damage caused by the rain, and it has come far too late,” the council insists.
Ángel Ramón Meca Ruzafa, Councillor for Major Infrastructure and Outlying Districts, criticised that the subsidy fund for restoration of municipal infrastructure and the provincial road network only covers 50% of the costs.
He said the Council cannot cover the remaining half as this would require a loan, which they are not allowed to take out because City Hall is subject to an economic and financial recovery plan.
He confirmed that there are still seriously damaged, unrepaired roads in Ramonete, El Garrobillo, El Hinojar, La Hoya and the southern area of the municipality, “due to the local authority’s financial constraints”.
“A major effort was made to meet emergency expenses in the firm belief that aid would arrive — but that has not been the case,” he said.
The councillor also expressed regret that agricultural facilities in Hinojar and Ramonete were among the hardest hit, but these “victims have been left out — they haven’t been considered.”
The governing coalition of the Partido Popular (PP) and Vox will put forward a motion to a full council meeting to “appeal to the sensitivity” of Pedro Sánchez’s government and push for 100% compensation of the expenses.
“We will defend the interests of the council to the very end,” Meca announced, and added that they will resort to administrative court proceedings, if necessary, to uphold their rights.
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Image: Ayuntamiento de Lorca
