# Protest erupts at Assam beverage unit over expired soft drink sale 2026-09-17T03:51:31+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Workers and residents in Palasbari, Assam, protested on Tuesday outside the Harvestland Beverages Pvt Ltd plant, alleging expired soft drinks were being relabelled and sold. The protesters claimed packets of the brand 'Fundazz' manufactured last year were being repackaged with fresh expiry-date labels. They raised slogans against the management, demanding an end to the alleged irregularities and immediate payment of pending wages. The unit is owned by the Annapurna group. Workers alleged salaries had remained unpaid for months. Local residents also complained of a foul odour from the plant. The protesters called for a departmental investigation into the relabelling of expired products and other complaints. The allegations could not be independently verified. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Food adulteration and misbranding cases fall under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which empowers the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to impose penalties including licence suspension and imprisonment. Assam has seen multiple such allegations against small and mid-level bottling units in the past, but enforcement has often been slow. The Palasbari plant is operated by Harvestland Beverages, part of the Annapurna group, which markets affordable local brands like Fundazz. If the allegations are substantiated, the unit faces potential closure and the company could be barred from manufacturing. Local residents and workers have now escalated earlier complaints into a public protest, increasing pressure on the Kamrup district administration and the Assam food safety commissioner. The next step is an inspection by the state food safety department, which will determine whether the plant's licence is suspended. ## Coverage - assamtribune.com Tags: Assam, Food Safety and Standards Act, FSSAI, Harvestland Beverages, Palasbari Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/protest-erupts-at-assam-beverage-unit-over-expired-soft-drink-sale/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/protest-erupts-at-assam-beverage-unit-over-expired-soft-drink-sale/#story-in-brief