Biratnagar, January 4:

Normal life in Sunsari and Morang districts was crippled today due to the indefinite strike called by workers of different jute industries in the Sunsari-Morang industrial corridor from yesterday.

Revenue collection was badly affected as the agitating workers organised sit-in at the entrance of Biratnagar Customs Office from 6 am to noon, customs officer Mitralal Regmi said.

According to the office, Rs 6.5 million was collected as tax on Saturday while no tax could be collected yesterday. The Biratnagar customs office used to collect some Rs 20 million a day.

Around 20,000 workers have been staging protest programmes demanding that the workers be given Rs 190 as daily wage as fixed by the government. They are also demanding the government to end power cuts in Sunsari-Morang area.

Ganesh Adhikary, chairman of the Joint Jute Mill Struggle Committee, warned to close the markets from tomorrow if their demands were not fulfilled.

All jute factories in the Sunsari-Morang industrial corridor have been shut down from December 28, following the agitation.

The travellers are compelled to ride rickshaw to reach their destinations since the transportation services came to a halt. Gopal Sharma, president of the Nepal Trade Union Congress, Morang accused the government of not being serious to address their demands.

“The jute workers will be forced to launch a third stage programme,” he added.