Protest Erupts Over Allegations of Expired Soft Drink Sales in Palasbari
Concerns Raised Over Expired Beverage Products
Protesters claimed that expired food items were being relabeled with new expiry dates and sold in the market.
Palasbari, Sept 17: Allegations regarding the relabeling and sale of expired soft drinks emerged at a beverage production facility in Manpur, located within the Palasbari LAC, on Tuesday. A group of workers, local residents, and various organizations gathered to protest outside the facility.
The demonstrators accused the company of repackaging expired products, specifically mentioning the soft drink brand ‘Fundazz’, with new expiry labels before distributing them. They asserted that some of these items were produced last year, claiming that the original labels were being removed and replaced after the products had expired.
Chanting slogans against Harvestland Beverages Pvt Ltd, part of the Annapurna group, the protesters demanded an end to these alleged practices and called for action from relevant authorities. They also voiced their concerns regarding unpaid wages owed to workers.
Additionally, the protesters highlighted that similar complaints about irregularities and unpleasant odors from the facility had been raised multiple times by local residents and employees in the past. They expressed frustration over what they perceived as insufficient responses from the authorities.
Several workers at the facility, who claimed their salaries had not been paid for several months, joined the call for the immediate disbursement of their overdue wages.
The claims made during the protest have not been independently verified. The demonstrators urged an investigation by the relevant departments into the alleged relabeling of expired products and other grievances against the facility.
Meanwhile, local residents are questioning whether the authorities will take action in light of these serious allegations.