SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 4. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Cabildo de La Palma has delivered 13.5 million euros of the donations received by the Island Corporation to those affected by the volcano, as reported by the president of the Cabildo, Mariano Zapata, who accompanied by the Minister of Security and Emergencies, Nieves Rosa Arroyo appeared today Monday after the PEINPAL meeting and reviewed the main actions launched by the insular institution.
Mariano Zapata explained that from the first line of aid to all those affected, more than 7.2 million euros have been transferred and 6,854 people have been reached, while from the second line of aid, 10,000 euros for people who have lost their habitual residence, more than 6.1 million euros have already been distributed and have been paid to 616 families, being in the final stretch of payments, for which it will be complemented with the Cabildo’s own funds.
The president insisted that the entire aid process has been carried out with the utmost transparency and has been published periodically on the website of www.volcan.lapalma.eswhere you can even find payment resolutions.
“People’s well-being has always been a priority for this government team, which has been accentuated even more with the eruption of the volcano, and for this reason it is one of the three backbones of the Plan Recupera La Palma”, stated the President.
For her part, Nieves Rosa Arroyo explained, regarding the situation of the gases that continue to hinder the return of people to the coastal areas, that they are still pending the protocols that Involcan is preparing. “Based on this, we will begin to test the different alternatives that can help citizens return. Let’s not forget that of the 234 people who continue to be evicted, 121 are from the coastal area and we are still looking for homes to relocate them,” he said. .
RECOVERY OF ROADS.
In relation to the second axis of the La Palma Recovery Plan, the infrastructures, the president explained that ten roads have been recovered, “one of the most important being the track that runs between La Laguna and Las Norias, the old LP-213 Puerto Naos- El Remo, which joins the north with the south of the lava flow, and for whose recovery a significant effort has been made,” he said.
He also made reference to the work that has been done to recover small roads, “so that the neighbors can return to their homes as soon as possible, and can continue recovering their lives.” These road actions have involved an investment of 4.5 million euros to date.
Another aspect to highlight is relations with the road infrastructure and in relation to emergency maintenance has to do with the removal of ash, which has been carried out so far, a first mobilization of 120,000 cubic meters of the most affected areas, assuming an investment of approximately 800,000 euros with a clear commitment to the palm business park and the contracting of 25 companies to carry out these tasks.
ECONOMIC REACTIVATION.
In reference to the third axis, the economic and social reactivation of La Palma, the president expressed the good progress made by the job creation and support plan for companies and the self-employed, to which more than 7 million euros have been allocated, of which that 5.3 are a line of direct aid to those affected by the volcano and that they have the financial support of the Canarian Employment Service and the Government of Spain.
In this sense, he has indicated that so far “2,600 applications for aid have been received, which shows the interest aroused in the palm business community and now more than ever it is key that we continue working with this sector, which is a fundamental part of the reconstruction of the island, since they are the creators of jobs and wealth”.
Lastly, Zapata wanted to recall that the La Palma volcano “has gone out but the Island is still immersed in the emergency, so it is essential that all administrations continue working together to provide the best solutions to all palm growers.”
