More than 900 days without light in the Cañada Real Galiana

MADRID, 25 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The residents of Cañada Real Galiana, in Madrid, have survived their third winter without electricity, more than 900 days since sectors V and VI were left without electricity, leaving more than 4,000 people without electricity, 1,800 of them children and girls.

"Three winters without light. We continue to fight against this violation of Human Rights in Cañada," stressed the Tabadol Women's Cultural Association, this past week in a tweet, while denouncing the "passivity" of "the Community of Madrid, the Ministry of the Presidency, the Ministry of Social Rights, the Ministry of Inclusion, the Ministry of Health, the High Commissioner against Child Poverty and the Government Commissioner for the Cañada Real Galiana of the Community of Madrid".

During these three winters, from the Santo Domingo de la Calzada Parish they have helped the residents to face this "difficult" situation, especially the previous winters, the year of Philomena and the year 2022, which were colder. "Within the bad, this winter has been better, it has not been the same as Filomena's year, in addition, people have been getting what they need to not be so cold," Javier Ródenas, from the Santo Domingo de la Calzada Parish, located in sector VI of the Cañada Real Galiana.

As he explains, in this parish, which is attended not only by Catholics but above all by Muslims, Evangelicals and Orthodox, they have helped low-income people to obtain firewood, butane canisters and solar panels. Likewise, they are providing their support in the relocation processes, through Cáritas, in the face of possible problems that may be encountered with issues of "documentation, schooling, economic means", etc.

Although, Ródenas considers that the relocations "are not the solution in the short or medium term" and believes there should be "political will" to put an end to this situation that supposes a "violation of human rights." For this reason, he asks the administrations involved to abandon "negligence", to "not look the other way" and put the "dignity" of the residents of the Cañada Real first.

Over these years, the residents of La Cañada Real have not stopped denouncing their situation before the Community of Madrid, the City Council of Madrid and Rivas and before the Government of Spain, through the High Commissioner against Child Poverty; and they have demonstrated shouting 'Luz para la Cañada' before the different administrations and companies involved such as the Madrid Assembly or the headquarters of Naturgy, the company that provides the service in the area.

Along these lines, they set up the Civic Platform to Support Light in Cañada Real, made up of more than 50 civil society organizations together with the neighborhood associations of Cañada Real, from which they have demanded that the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, an "urgent" solution.

In 2021, Spain received several calls for attention from the UN about the situation in Cañada Real Galiana. The Ombudsman has also expressed his concern and has demanded answers.

From the Executive Committee of the Pact for the Cañada Real Galiana - a body that makes up the Government Delegation, the three town halls through which this road runs where the settlement is located (Madrid, Coslada and Rivas Vaciamadrid) and the regional Executive - it was set to In mid-November 2021, a roadmap with 21 actions that includes the relocation of 160 families from Sector VI, a measure in which 34 million euros will be invested, 50% financed by the two administrations.

In addition, the Government approved, at the proposal of the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, a Royal Decree regulating the direct granting of subsidies worth 5 million euros for the Madrid and Rivas Vaciamadrid City Councils, to allocate to the Relocation plan for families in situations of extreme vulnerability in Cañada Real Galiana.

On October 27, the European Committee of Social Rights of the Council of Europe -a committee of independent experts established by virtue of article 25 of the European Social Charter- unanimously declared a collective claim against Spain admissible and urged the Spanish authorities to adopt "immediate measures" in the Cañada Real Galiana.

In particular, the body urged the Executive to "guarantee that all affected people have access to electricity and heating, taking into account, in particular, the needs of affected vulnerable groups (including children, people with disabilities, people with conditions doctors, people of foreign origin, the elderly and Roma)". On the other hand, he asked that Spain offer "adequate alternative accommodation to the people affected when it is not possible to safely guarantee access to electricity and heating."

Although, this same week, on Tuesday March 21, the Community of Madrid indicated that it is technically "impossible" to bring electricity to sectors V and VI of the Cañada Real Galiana. This was stated by the director general of Decarbonization and Energy Transition of the Community of Madrid, Fernando Arlandis, and the deputy of Más Madrid Alicia Torija in the Environment, Housing and Agriculture commission of the Madrid Assembly.