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President Abelardo de la Espriella Declares Public Calamity in Tolima to Address Severe Forest Fires

President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a public calamity in the Tolima department to address severe forest fires that have impacted over 50,000 hectares and 2,660 farmers. The declaration indicates that the local emergency has exceeded the capacity of the region, necessitating support from the National Government. To address the crisis, the administration announced a recovery plan involving an investment of COP 7,000 million to restore crops and productive units. Additionally, COP 2,000 million will be used to purchase pastures and provide subsidies for rural housing. The plan includes relief in credit amortization for producers and a market for small and medium-sized producers. The Ministry of Agriculture introduced the 'Tolima Verde Renace' program to restore ecosystems and the 'Compromiso Tolima' initiative to protect lives and prepare for the El Niño phenomenon. A specialized group will also be formed to identify those responsible for the fires, offering a reward of up to COP 50 million for information leading to their capture.

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