U’khand minister clears Rs 2.9L power bill after appearing on defaulters’ list

Bageshwar: The names of a serving and a former cabinet minister from Uttarakhand figured in the electricity department's list of nearly 300 defaulters in Bageshwar district, with dues linked to one of the properties cleared soon after the disclosure.Cabinet minister Rekha Arya, who holds the women and child development, food and civil supplies, and sports and youth welfare portfolios, was among those listed. Officials said Rs 2.98 lakh in electricity dues had been pending for nearly four years against Hotel Rudraksh Palace in Kausani, which was linked to her. However, when contacted by TOI, Arya's media in-charge said the hotel had been sold in 2022 and the pending electricity bill was cleared on Saturday. The executive engineer of the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) in Bageshwar confirmed that the dues were fully paid on Saturday afternoon.
The list also names late former minister Chandan Ram Das, with Rs 2.85 lakh still outstanding against his personal residence in Bageshwar. His wife, Parvati Das, who was elected MLA from the constituency after his death in 2023, said she was unaware of the pending bill. "I was not aware that such a large electricity bill was pending. The department never considered it necessary to inform us. Earlier, whenever we were told about any dues, we paid the bill," she said.Officials said the list was released as part of an intensified drive to recover mounting electricity dues running into crores. However, power supply to both properties remains intact, prompting questions about whether recovery norms are being applied evenly.The contrast has drawn criticism from residents, some of whom say enforcement appears harsher on ordinary consumers. Kala Devi, a daily wager from the district, said her family's electricity was disconnected over pending dues of around Rs 14,000 despite having no major appliances. "There are small children at home. We are forced to sleep in the dark at night. We requested the lineman to give us some time, but the electricity was cut," she said.Social activist Ramesh Krishak Pandey said the issue reflected deeper inequity in enforcement. "Recovery in cases involving large defaulters often moves slowly, while poorer households face swift disconnections over far smaller amounts, eroding public trust," he added. He said the govt and electricity department must ensure rules are applied equally to all.Responding to the concerns, executive engineer Mohammad Afzaal said the department had already disconnected 132 electricity connections and would continue its recovery drive against all defaulters, irrespective of status.Apart from political names, the list identified Almora Magnesite Ltd, a mining company, as the largest defaulter, with around Rs 92 lakh pending. Govt institutions also featured, including the district hospital in Bageshwar, which owes close to Rs 16 lakh.