Birgunj sanitation workers strike demanding pay hike

Sanitation workers in Birgunj, Nepal, have initiated a strike, disrupting waste management across the city. Employed by a private contractor for the Birgunj Metropolitan City, the workers are demanding increased wages, enhanced benefits, and stronger labor protections.

As a form of protest, the workers have piled garbage in prominent locations, including Ghantaghar Chowk, the Meena Bazaar area, and outside the metropolitan office. This action has significantly impacted the city's regular sanitation services, raising concerns about public health and hygiene.

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the city was closely monitoring the situation and had instructed contractor Shiva Gupta, whose company is responsible for waste collection, to hold immediate talks with the protesting workers and address their legitimate demands as soon as possible.

The Birgunj Metropolitan City has responded by initiating efforts to mediate the dispute. Acting Mayor Imtiyaj Aalam stated that the city is closely monitoring the situation and has directed the contractor, Shiva Gupta, to hold immediate talks with the protesting workers. Aalam emphasized the metropolitan office's commitment to resolving the issue through dialogue and ensuring that residents do not face prolonged disruptions to essential services.

Despite the city's efforts to broker an agreement, the workers have declared their intention to continue the protest until their demands are fully met. The ongoing strike poses a risk of further deterioration of waste collection and sanitation services throughout Birgunj.

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efforts were underway to resolve the dispute through dialogue.