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Home detention and financial penalties have been handed down to two people and a company for illegally dumping oil drums in Manurewa and the Waitākere Ranges earlier this year.
Devendra Prakash, Director, D Bhagyanil Company Limited, was convicted and sentenced under the Resource Management Act on May 24, 2019 at the Auckland District Court on 28 charges relating to illegally dumping hazardous material in February last year.
Serious offending
Mr Prakash was sentenced to three months home detention plus six months probation and was further ordered to pay the Auckland Council $17,195.61 in reparations.
District Court Judge Melanie Harland noted during the sentencing that the illegal dumping was deliberate, serious and reckless offending for commercial gain that led to associated environmental effects.
Mr Prakash’s former employee, Harampreet Singh, was also sentenced for the same offending in October and was convicted but discharged.
Judge Harland said that he had been served with a deportation order. This matter has been referred to Immigration NZ.
The pair were identified and charged following an extensive investigation by Auckland Council after Mayor Phil Goff announced increased efforts to tackle illegal dumping in Auckland in February last year.
Catch them at any cost
Mayor Phil Goff welcomed the sentence saying, “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that if you dump illegally, we will catch you and you will pay a high price.
“There is no excuse for illegal dumping. I am sick of it and so are Aucklanders. We have a stunning natural environment and it deserves better than to be treated like a rubbish-tip by an errant few,” he said.
Mr Goff said this case was particularly nasty as the guilty party dumped oil barrels and used oil filters containing oil and toxic chemicals. It was harmful to the environment and the ratepayer had to pick up the bill for disposing of their mess properly.
“This sentencing under the RMA sends a strong message that if you illegally dump we will track you down and throw the book at you. And, where possible, we won’t be seeking a small fine under the Litter Act, we will use the RMA to its full extent to make sure penalties fit the crime and we stop people trashing our city. If you see dumped rubbish or someone dumping rubbish, please call 0800 NO DUMP to report it.”
