Daily wage workers of Kathariya Municipality in Rautahat have locked the municipal office in protest, disrupting services for the past five days.

Around 170 employees, who have been hired on a daily wage basis, have not received salaries for three years and have now padlocked the municipality and all ten ward offices.

Frustrated over the long delay, including unpaid wages during festivals, the workers padlocked the office, said Chief Administrative Officer Ganesh Nepali.

Nepali added that he had initiated the paperwork for salary release, but technical difficulties delayed the process, and the situation worsened. He has since left the district due to the ongoing protest and is currently in Kathmandu.

The employees have stated they will continue the strike until their demands are met. Services across the municipality have come to a halt, affecting residents. “We have demanded our salaries. There is no reason for further delay,” a worker said.

Mayor Ajay Prakash Jaiswal said he supports the workers’ demand for salary payments. “I had asked for the salaries to be released. Since the Chief Administrative Officer has left, I am personally working to resolve the issue and reopen the offices,” he added.