Bettiah, August 6, 2026: The strike by sanitation workers in Narkatiaganj and Ramnagar Municipal Councils entered its seventh day on Wednesday, severely disrupting cleanliness in both towns. In Narkatiaganj, over 250 sanitation workers are protesting at the municipal council office, demanding permanent employment and an end to contract and outsourcing systems. They have received support from Ward Councilor Ratnesh Kumar alias Bablu Sarraf and Councilor Representative JP.

During the protest, workers chanted slogans against the government. Manoj Raut, President of the All India Municipal Workers Association, stated that despite years of dedicated service, the government has failed to regularize their services, instead implementing contract and outsourcing models. Key protesters include Manoj Raut, Rakesh Raut, Harishankar Prasad, Sikandar Ram, Vinod Malik, Harishankar Ram, Bablu Kumar, Ajay Paswan, Vinod Paswan, Sheela Devi, and Sita Devi.

In Ramnagar, sanitation workers also staged a sit-in and raised slogans at the municipal council office. The prolonged strike has led to massive garbage accumulation in several wards, exacerbated by rain, causing foul odors and increasing public discomfort.

The workers' demands include abolishing contract labor, regularizing daily wage workers, discontinuing NGO-led work, promoting based on seniority, regularizing contractual and outsourced staff, ensuring service security, providing ACP-MACP benefits to permanent staff, and clearing outstanding payments. The protestors have vowed to continue their strike until their demands are met.

The impact of the strike is also visible in the Bettiah municipal area, with garbage piling up in prominent locations like Meena Bazaar, Naya Bazaar, Hospital Road, Mitra Chowk, Raj Dewrhi, Uttarwari Pokhara, and Hariwatika Chowk, making it difficult for residents to move around. Most garbage collection vehicles are idle at the municipal premises as their drivers are part of the strike.