A total of 66 reports of damage were received at the Mining Damage Committee. Of these, 31 of these have now been dealt with, 19 of which are reimbursed between 820 euros and 16,000 euros. The remaining 35 reports are still being processed with the committee.
“According to the committee, there is no demonstrable earthquake damage to my home,” says Resident Blok. “The neighbor on the left and right, but not even with me. I think that is very clever. With logical farming, I am not an expert, but then you have a strong sense of injustice. I worked at the NCG and in Groningen the question of guilt was not even difficult.”
Another resident who speaks sees it more hopeful. An expert has just passed by with him. “I think procedurally they are doing well. That agent is constantly calling me. She told me that when the report is ready, she will come to us and will explain it.”
Earlier in the evening, the committee, asked by a councilor, said that the committee cannot be compared with the Institute of Mining Damage Groningen.
Commission member Margriet Drijver: “At the IMG they have many more instruments and they do not assess damage to ten thousand euros.” She also states that the empire is more generous with the much larger Groningen field. But the committee also encounters problems. For example, by order of mining companies, they can look back for a maximum of one year for compensation.
Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra endorses this problem: “The problem is not in the committee, who do what they can do within their frameworks, but in the institutional decision. For 40 years of gas has been won in the Eleveld, but the committee may only look back one year for the damage.”
Resident Henk also wonders aloud: “What now?” According to councilor Rabbe Vedder (municipal interests) this evening was very informative. “We are very curious about what this will continue to run.”
Mayor Hiemstra: “We are also working on a letter stating what we would like to see change, it goes to the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, because there are certainly things that we would like to see differently.”