Shillong, Dec 31: The defence authority has issued clearances for laying of the pipes through the defence establishment for completing the much-awaited Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) phase-III.

Informing this, Minister in-charge Public Health Engineering (PHE) Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said, “We have got the clearances from the defence (authority for laying of the pipes). This is a big thing for the department.”

When asked, Tongkhar said that the department in fact had waited for years for the clearance in order to complete the project.

“There are portions where laying of pipes has to go through the defence land like the 101 Area and defence establishment in the city near Lady Keane College,” he added.

The minister said that so far around 72 percent of work has been completed and the remaining works include laying of main pipes as well as laying of distribution lines in various localities.

“I have already asked the chief engineer to direct all the contractors and everybody to be on the job,” he said.

Tongkhar further informed that he would also review the progress of work in the frst week of January, next year.