Sanitation workers employed by a private contractor assigned by Birgunj Metropolitan City launched a strike on Sunday, demanding higher wages, improved benefits and stronger labour rights.

As part of the protest, workers dumped piles of rubbish at Ghantaghar Chowk, the Meena Bazaar area and outside the metropolitan office's main entrance, disrupting waste management in the city.

With regular sanitation services at risk of being severely affected, the metropolitan office said it had begun efforts to resolve the dispute.

Acting Mayor Imtiyaj Aalam said 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.

Aalam said the metropolitan office was coordinating with all parties to ensure residents did not face prolonged disruption to sanitation services. He added that efforts were underway to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

Reaffirming the city's commitment to maintaining uninterrupted sanitation services, Aalam said the metropolitan office was working to broker an agreement between the workers, the contractor and other stakeholders to end the strike at the earliest.

The workers, however, said they would continue their protest until their demands for higher pay, better benefits and labour protections were met.

If the strike continues, waste collection and sanitation services across Birgunj are expected to face increasing disruption.