Aa en Hunze and the other authorities involved feel that the new compensation scheme proposed by central government does too little to match what residents want and expect. Among other things, they are concerned about the conditions and about the period within which damage must be reported, and they want a milder and simpler approach that puts people first.
The State Secretary for Climate and Green Growth, De Bat, sent the House of Representatives a letter with the outline of the scheme on Tuesday 2 June. The ministry, the Commissie Mijnbouwschade, which handles claims for mining damage, and the gas producer NAM have agreed conditions for simpler handling of claims, with four rings drawn around the epicentre. In the two inner rings, closest to the quake, compensation can be higher. The scheme itself is expected at the end of June.
At Popken, Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra of Aa en Hunze, his colleagues from Assen and Midden-Drenthe and the King's Commissioner, the head of the province, sat at the table with the MPs. They talked about the damage the quake has done and about how claims are being handled, and residents described what the quake has meant for them.
The municipality urges residents not to wait for the new scheme and to report their damage to the Commissie Mijnbouwschade now, even if they are unsure whether the earthquake caused it. Anyone who cannot do this online themselves can call 088 042 42 70.