Initiative contributes to contain the spread of coronavirus in the affected territory; disbursements exceed R$ 100 million
People who could prove that their economic activities were impacted as a result of Fundao dam collapse in Mariana (MG), are to receive the amount referring to the loss of profit for 2019 at the beginning of this year. By the end of March, R$ 100.6 million had been paid to 4,691 people from Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo, which corresponds to 94.8% of the total expected for 2020. The total number of people affected who are entitled to receive payment reached 4,948. Payments made after March 31, 2020, will be increased according the period’s inflation adjustment.
Following the determinations of the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and state and municipal authorities, since March 16, the Mediated Indemnity Centers (CIM) temporarily suspended face-to-face assistance as a necessary measure to protect the health and life of employees, those affected and society as a whole.
However, in order to ensure service and avoid that those affected are further impacted, the Renova Foundation has created an alternative proposal during this social isolation period. For now, remote assistance will enable the completion of the payments of loss of profit for 2019.
The remote assistance is supported by important contributions from the Public Defender’s Office of Espirito Santo, which, like the Renova Foundation, since the beginning of the pandemic has been concerned with the situation of those affected by the Fundao dam collapse.
Social isolation
In the regular indemnity procedure, before the social isolation measures, those affected were coming to the CIMs for assistance in the indemnity program. With the implementation of the remote service flow, the Renova Foundation started to contact those affected, or their lawyers, when applicable, by telephone or WhatsApp.
The documentation is being checked by e-mail and, after confirming all data, another e-mail is sent to formalize the agreement. The indemnity payment is wired to a bank account that must be in the name of the affected person. Then, the Renova Foundation sends an SMS with the payment notification to the telephone number on file.
“Maintaining social isolation should be everyone’s priority right now. The Renova Foundation, with the consent of the Public Defender’s Office of Espirito Santo, adopted remote assistance in order to be able to make the last payments of loss of profit planned for this year,” says Dihego Pansini, coordinator of the Mediated Indemnity Program (PIM).
Eligible
In 2020, the number of those eligible increased by 41%, which is equivalent to 1,500 new people who are receiving loss of profit compared to last year. While in 2020 there will be almost 5,000 people referring to 2019, and last year there were 3,900 based on 2018. Of the total eligible, 71% are included in fishing damage and 29% in the area of agriculture and other damages.
The loss of profit corresponds to the income obtained by the person before the dam collapse. The indemnity proposal for loss of profit takes into account the calculation of the indemnity amount for the damage suffered during that year and payment is always made in the following period. The amounts vary according to the different situations and impact on the income.