The Federal Senate presents next Thursday (12) the final report of the External Temporary Commission created to monitor “in loco” the situation of the municipality of Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, as a result of the storm that hit the city in February 15th of this year. THE CNN had access to the document.
The report has 95 recommendations to reverse the damage in the municipality and reduce the risks of new tragedies happening. Among them, 43 are for the Municipality of Petrópolis, 20 for the Federal Government, 14 for the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Another 12 are for the Legislative Branch, two for Caixa Econômica Federal, two for architecture and engineering entities, one for the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and one for Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF).
As the report describes, “the storm of approximately 260 millimeters in two hours left 233 dead, 4 missing, a trail of destruction in various parts of the municipality, the local economy weakened and the community traumatized by this calamity”.
Among the recommendations, the senators guide the city hall to update the municipal contingency plan with the participation of community leaders, organized civil society and municipal, state and federal bodies. In addition, the commission cites the “police power”, so that the municipal management can enforce the order to evict places affected by disasters and prevent people from returning to threatened homes.
For the Federal Government, the first indication is to review the dynamics of the National Civil Defense and Protection System to update records, strengthen institutional communication channels, identify the needs of states and municipalities and reaffirm the importance of creating and maintaining community centers for Civil defense. In addition, the commission guides the Federal Executive to involve the Federal Civil Defense in the formulation of projects and in the execution of works aimed at reducing risks and preventing the occurrence of disasters. THE CNN contacted the Ministry of Regional Development to find out if it intends to comply with the recommendation and awaits a response.
To the State Government, parliamentarians recommend that it assume and complete the pending works of the PAC das Encostas in the municipality of Petrópolis. In addition, it guides the government to guarantee resources for the execution of the five largest emergency works undertaken by the state, at a cost of around R$ 150 million.
The commission’s parliamentarians visited the affected areas, met with Mayor Rubens Bontempo and secretaries, participated in a public hearing at the Petrópolis City Council and held hearings in the Federal Senate itself.
When it was created, the commission had a term of operation of 30 days, but it was extended by another 30, ending this Thursday (12).
Commission conclusions
The Senate Temporary External Committee proposed to evaluate the disaster along four axes: prevention, housing, mental health and federal resources.
Regarding disaster preparedness, parliamentarians identified the “virtual absence of an effective contingency plan”. The report mentions that, due to a legal dispute, the winning ticket in the 2020 municipal elections only took office on December 18, 2021, 59 days before the tragedy.
For the members of the commission, the delay generated “serious political instability” and harmed administrative governance in the municipality, which made it difficult to prevent and coordinate disaster responses.
In this context, the commission suggests that the municipality of Petrópolis and the entire mountainous region of the State of Rio de Janeiro have an organ or entity similar to the Foundation Institute of Geotechnics of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Geo-Rio), with the function of monitor and assess geological hazards in the city and take the necessary actions to minimize them.
On the housing issue, parliamentarians understand that “this is a situation in which the obvious needs to be stated and continually reinforced: the public power must take all necessary measures to, as the case may be, prevent occupation or promote the eviction of risk areas. ”.
“These consequences (destruction and deaths) are as predictable as they are unacceptable in those situations in which the State allows and tolerates (and even endorses, when it guarantees the provision of public services) the occupation of risk areas, areas in which the probability of occurrence of disaster is known, making it only a matter of time.”
External Temporary Commission
Regarding the problems associated with the mental health of the affected population, the committee’s rapporteur, Senator Carlos Portinho (PL), proposed to the rapporteur of the 2023 General Budget of the Union the inclusion of two amendments:
one that allocates R$ 1 million to the Ministry of Citizenship, for structuring the service network of the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS);
another that allocates R$ 1.5 million to the Ministry of Health to increase medium and high-complexity actions, which will enable the care and follow-up of 2,000 people in mental suffering, including through telemedicine.
“The acute emotional impact of the tragedy on the surviving population is extremely serious. The lives of these people, especially those directly affected, or who have lost friends and family, will be marked forever. And this chronically stressful situation can produce lasting emotional damage, especially on children.”
External Temporary Commission
THE CNN contacted the Ministries of Health and Citizenship to find out the feasibility of carrying out the recommendations with the funds suggested by the Commission and awaits a response.
* Under supervision of Helena Vieira.
Source: CNN Brasil
