Nat'l office to handle earthquake damage proposed

Jacques Wallage, chairman of the so-called "Dialogue Table Groningen" wants a National Office which will work to repair the damage cause by earthquakes in the north of the country. This service must also take measures to prevent damage. From January 1st that responsibility lies with the Center for Safe Housing, headed by the Netherlands Petroleum Company (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij - NAM). Wallage does not seem to want that. According to Wallage, the National Office can be set up according to the example of National Offices that were active in other provinces in the past, such as the National Office for the Delta Works. According to Wallage, the safety in Groningen is a matter for which the NAM is liable, but the government is responsible. And he feels that that responsibility needs to be "anchored". "Therefore we advocate for a National Office that deals with repair and security in this area, and also because it is a very complex matter."