Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kavinder Gupta among Jammu's top power defaulters

Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) has released a list revealing names of over 150 people who have t cleared ir electricity dues amounting to more than Rs 11 crore towards J&K Power Department. What is even more surprising is fact that list includes names of some of most prominent people of territory, like former JK chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who owes more than Rs 4.5 lakh, and former JK Deputy CM and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta, among ors. According to Power Department, Azad is yet to pay Rs 4,69,342. power department is likely to cut power for n-payment of dues.

Reacting to same, Chief Spokesperson of Azad’s Party, Salman Nizami, told Republic that majority of amount was during Azad's tenure, when Azad was entitled to free electricity as minister and former minister, and pendency has been cleared by Azad's office. list has revealed that former and BJP's Kavinder Gupta owes more than 14 Lakh rupees to electricity department.

When asked about pending electricity bills, Kavinder Gupta told Republic that he has taken up matter with officials of Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) as majority of electricity was consumed when he was in office as Jammu Kashmir Assembly Speaker and Deputy CM from 2014 to 2018.

"I took up issue with officials of JPDCL and have informed m that a major portion of bill was for time when I was holding Office. For a long time, I wasn’t getting bills delivered to my address, which I will be clearing by September this year, in accordance with rules of department," he said.

or popular faces whose names are on list include former minister Syed Basharat Bukhari, who owes 6.6 lakh to power department; Former legislator Asiya Naqash, who owes 5.2 lakh; Former MoS Majeed Padder, who still has 8.7 lakh in unpaid dues; and GM Shah and Gharu Ram, who owe 2.39 Lakh each to electricity department.

Jammu power department releases list on electricity dues

"To prevent furr accumulation of outstanding electricity dues against consumers of various categories within JPDCL Distribution, it is hereby ordered that physical service wire connections to any JPDCL consumer who has t paid his or her electricity dues for two or more successive calendar months should be disconnected immediately without any furr tice," read circular issued by power department.

(Credit: Republic)

In case of smart metered consumers, physical disconnections may be accomplished remotely through backend commands from IT&C Division, JPDCL, and Jammu's Control Centre. Reconnections should be done only after full liquidation of pending arrears by consumer," it added.