SUNSARI: Agitating workers of the Sunsari-Morang irrigation project padlocked the main gate, the gates of subsidiary canals and the project office, for an indefinite period from today. The workers have been demanding remuneration at par the civil servants. The agitating workers claimed that they were forced to resort to the extreme as the concerned authority was apathetic to fulfil their demands. Altogether 200 daily wage workers are working for the project. They padlocked the new intake and the doors near the intake at Chataraghat of Sunsari district. Earlier, the agitators, who had thronged to the project site chanted slogans for half an hour. The workers also prohibited the use of vehicles of the project. They have also hindered the operation of a machine that has been generating electricity for the locality. Due to the agitation, irrigation in around some 70 hectares of land has been affected, lamented the locals. Durga Rai, chairman, Workers Coordination Committee claimed that they had been toiling under risk but the authorities were apathetic towards increasing facilities. He said that they had no choice but to protest and halt works. Likewise, Kaji Bahadur Karki, secretary of the coordination committee warned of further protest if their demand of 40 per cent increment in remuneration was not met.However, senior divisional engineer of the project, Sovakanta Labh said that they had been discussing the demands.