The Institute for Mining Damage Groningen (IMG) wants to be able to quickly carry out a “milder, more humane and easier” damage settlement for victims of the earthquakes in Groningen and Drenthe. This is evident from a package presented to the House of Representatives by the IMG on Thursday. It contains proposals for solving, among other things, the damage to homes and buildings, and the suffering and sorrow among the residents. The IMG urges the government to release between 5 and 10 billion euros – on top of the 1.63 billion euros already allocated – for the recovery operation.
Among other things, the IMG wants to be able to pay the costs that residents incur for restoring their homes. In addition, the institute proposes that residents in the core area of the earthquakes receive compensation of “for example 2,500 euros” per earthquake. As solutions to the suffering and sorrow of the residents, minors should receive the same compensation as adults. Those fees must also be as high as other compensation schemes. Psychosocial assistance and a developmental opportunities program for children should also be established.
According to the IMG, the 5 to 10 billion euros that the recovery operation must cost is based on a “compliant claim settlement”. The final amount depends on what the cabinet opts for: for example, full aid for residents of all 360,000 residential addresses in the earthquake area or only for residents in the core of the earthquake area. The IMG will work out the proposals “in the near future”, in consultation with, among others, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and civil society organisations. According to the IMG, the implementation of a number of proposals requires at least six months to a year of preparation.
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