The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Aid fund in disbursement: "Great progress" in development

2021-10-13T16:45:36.360Z


The flood disaster on the Ahr was three months ago. State politics sees “great progress” in reconstruction. The amount of trash removed is immense.


The flood disaster on the Ahr was three months ago.

State politics sees “great progress” in reconstruction.

The amount of trash removed is immense.

Mainz - Three months after the flood disaster in Rhineland-Palatinate, the first funds from the federal-state aid fund are now being paid out. In a message from the State Chancellery in Mainz on Tuesday, with reference to the Ministry of Finance, a total of 9550 applications for reconstruction aid had been submitted to the Investment and Structural Bank (ISB) Rhineland-Palatinate. 2175 applications went through the process in full, almost 300 applications for household items with a volume of four billion euros were approved and "now being paid out".

Aid from the billion-dollar federal-state fund for flood victims can be provided since the end of September and until the end of June 2023.

The relief fund comprises a total of 30 billion euros for flood victims in Germany, a good half of which is intended for Rhineland-Palatinate.

65,000 citizens are affected there, including more than 40,000 in the Ahr Valley.

"Three months after the terrible flood disaster, the first positive signs can be seen," said Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD), Climate Protection Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) and Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt (FDP) after a statement.

"The first time after the catastrophe was marked by the terrible suffering and the gigantic destruction, but also by a wave of willingness to help that has never happened before in our country."

In addition to the aid funds made available by the federal and state governments, the extraordinary willingness to help and donate contributed significantly to the fact that enormous forces could be mobilized for the development of the region. "Rubble was removed, emergency bridges built, the supply of water and food secured, the sewage systems rebuilt, the region is accessible again and we can now look at its development and its future with all our might", emphasized the three politicians. Around 90 days after the flood disaster, pain and suffering are still present, but there is also increasing hope and confidence.

With a view to money from the federal-state aid fund, Spiegel had previously spoken in the SWR of 8,300 applications, of which 2,000 were approved.

Aid for destroyed household effects could be approved much faster than for an entire building or property, said Spiegel.

With a view to winter, the focus is currently on rebuilding the heating network, said the minister.

Destroyed natural gas pipelines would be repaired and mobile natural gas tanks built.

The goal is "that not a single household has to come cold over autumn and winter".

also read

CDU: U-Committee could start in the fall

In the 21st century, there was a flash flood in Rhineland-Palatinate with 134 deaths.

Many victims were surprised in their sleep due to a lack of warnings.

Why?

A committee of inquiry should clarify this.

A minister could come under further pressure.

CDU: U-Committee could start in the fall

Application start: Reconstruction aid for flood areas on Friday

NRW will receive up to 12.3 billion euros for reconstruction in the flood areas from the federal-state package.

The state government has defined the procedure for private individuals, companies and municipalities to get the money.

Help can also be provided for household items.

Application start: Reconstruction aid for flood areas on Friday

Rubble from demolished houses can be used for reconstruction

The rubble from houses demolished because of the risk of collapse in the flood-damaged Ahr Valley can, according to the Ahrweiler district administration, partly be used for reconstruction.

Because of the high number of damaged buildings in the flash flood with 133 deaths on July 14th and 15th after extremely heavy rain, "immense amounts of building rubble were created," said the authorities in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler on Thursday.

Rubble from demolished houses can be used for reconstruction

According to the State Chancellery, three mobile heating centers were put into operation in Mayschoss and seven heating centers in Müsch. More than 80 individual ovens have also been set up. In the meantime, a lot of rubbish has also been removed. According to the State Chancellery, more than 300,000 tons of bulky waste have now been driven away from the Ahr Valley - an amount that usually accumulates there in 35 years. With further reconstruction, sustainability must be brought to the fore, said Spiegel. "In the long term, we need to strengthen local district heating networks in combination with pellet heating and photovoltaics."

For the reconstruction work in the Ahr valley and the greater Trier region, employees can now also be employed on Sundays and public holidays. The exceptions to the Working Hours Act were decided by the Structure and Approval Directorate (SGD) North with immediate effect, as the SGD North announced in Koblenz on Wednesday. The ruling is limited to December 23rd and applies to work to provide assistance and repair the storm damage. This includes, for example, the restoration of infrastructure, the disposal of waste and the restoration and refurbishment of buildings. The exception rule applies to the affected districts of Ahrweiler, Bernkastel-Wittlich, Bitburg-Prüm, Trier-Saarburg, Vulkaneifel and the independent city of Trier.

According to the regulation, employees have the right to a replacement day of rest within eight weeks.

In addition, at least 15 Sundays a year must remain free from work.

Because of the strong physical and psychological stresses caused by working in flood areas, employees should be given the longest possible recovery time, it said.

Minors are excluded from the regulation; they continue to fall under the Youth Labor Protection Act.

The Maternity Protection Act applies to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-10-13

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.