KHAIRPUR, Feb 28: The Sindh Culture and Tourism Department has sanctioned Rs249,500 as stipend for different categories including poets, sufi singers, musicians, artists, writers and singers of Khairpur, Sukkur, Ghotki and Larkana.

This was stated in a press release issued by assistant director Sachal Academy, Khairpur, here on Monday. The cheques were handed over to the academy, from where cheques will be distributed.

The stipend has been awarded to late Ustad Gulzar Ali, Syed Motan Shah, Abdul Karim, Sohrab Faqeer in the category of Ragi, Abdul Rehman Mahessar, poet, late Allah Warayo and Murad Ali Gaho both in category of Sughar, artist late Ehsan Ali, Ghulam Hussain Makhdomi and writers Syed Akhtar Bukhari, Ghulam Hussain Ragi (sufi singer), Dilbar Hussain Ragi, Ali Bux Shaikh Ragi, Bhooral Bhatti Ragi, Syed Sher Shah Ragi, Sumar Sughar in the category of Sughar, musician Mohammad Hassan, Mazhar Ali Shaikh, actor/director, poet late Umeed Ali Khairpuri, late Rasool Bux Bhatti, late Imdad Hussain Bhatti, late Singhar Ali Saleem and Barkat Ali Bhatti in the category of singer, dholak nawaz late Sikandar Ali and artist Hameed Ali Sehwani.

POWER cables: An electricity pole carrying double supply lines of 11000w and 220w fell down at the Panj Gulla chowk in the city. However, shopkeepers and other people remained unhurt.

Reports said the pole had been installed in the Khairpur state tenure and it had rotten inside the earth and consequently fell down.

Following the incident, power supply remained suspended to some 20 localities.

This also affected water supply to the areas.