SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo de La Palma, one year after the emergency took over after the end of the volcanic eruption, has managed more than 75 million euros and has processed almost 22,000 requests for accompaniment to evicted residents who have not yet been able to return their houses.
The president of the Cabildo, Mariano Zapata, who has taken stock of the actions carried out this year, explained that they have worked to have a plan that meets all the guarantees and the residents of Puerto Naos and La Bombilla can access their homes on a regular basis.
“That is why from the first day and with our own funds we have processed almost 22,000 applications and we have accompanied the neighbors with the sole objective of being able to support them in these difficult moments and try to mitigate the feeling of unease they are going through so that they can do maintenance work on their homes,” said Zapata.
To this has been added the acquisition of more than one hundred gas meters, as well as the implementation of a monitoring of the same that can be seen on the volcano’s website or the training of personnel for this new reality, which has meant a investment of the Cabildo of more than one million euros.
In addition, Mariano Zapata pointed out that almost 24 million euros have been allocated for the well-being of the people and that 50 dependent people have been responded to in the different social and health centers on the island. Specifically, the Cabildo has managed 17 million euros, from donations and own funds that have already reached those affected.
To this is added that since February 2022 the Cabildo has assumed the payment of the hotels, with an investment of more than 6 million euros, reminding the president that there are still 129 people who have not been able to return to their homes and those who keep supporting. To these figures must be added 250,000 euros for the island’s social entities, another 600,000 euros so that the municipalities of the valley could deal with the social emergency and 450,000 euros for housing rehabilitation and technical aid for dependent and/or disabled people. disability.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
In relation to social and economic recovery, Zapata explained that 6.4 million euros have been managed in aid to companies and self-employed workers affected by the volcano, “the largest call for subsidies that has been managed, so far, with 2,140 applications resolved”.
To this is added the management of the specific Employment Plan for the volcano with 7.5 million euros and the hiring of more than 350 people and the aid for ERTE of the volcano that amounts to more than 200,000 euros.
Zapata also highlighted the Extraordinary Employment Plan, also financed by the Government of Spain and the SCE with 7.5 million euros, which enabled the hiring of more than 250 people, as well as the aid to promote hiring with which supported with more than 1.2 million euros of own funds, 800,000 in the first call, to support a total of 120 companies in the creation and maintenance of 239 jobs, many of them in ERTE situation as a result of the volcanic eruption.
In terms of tourism, more than 80% of the community has already recovered and in relation to the primary sector, 1.4 million euros have been allocated, last year 700,000 euros and another 700,000 euros that will be contributed this year, “with the sole objective of being able to alleviate not only the complicated reality that the eruption of the volcano has left us, but also the increase in prices as a result of the war in Ukraine,” said the island president.
For the recovery of road infrastructure, the Cabildo has allocated almost 18 million euros for the opening of the La Laguna-Las Norias track and to open the access roads to the houses that were cut off by the lava. “In water we continue to make a significant effort, allocating 18 million euros to bring water to all palm trees,” said Zapata.
While in transport, the Island Corporation delivered more than 1,200 vouchers to those affected by the volcano, and more than 400 workers benefit from the agreement reached with Dysa, for gasoline.
Lastly, the Cabildo reminds us that this government team “is going to continue working tirelessly to defend the interests of the palmeros, and make all the administrations involved in the recovery fulfill their promises.”