Unlawfully discharging farm effluent into the environment has resulted in a Morrinsville farmer and his company being convicted and fined $63,000 at the Hamilton District Court. The prosecution was taken by Waikato Regional Council under the Resource Management Act, following inspections of the farm's effluent system in August and September last year. As to decision-making on the farm, Singh said that this rested with "his accountant, Bank, himself and the rest of the people that work there I suppose". Council inspected the farm again in 2012 where it recommended it immediately contact an accredited effluent system designer to improve the farm's effluent system. In reflecting on the farm's history and most recent failings, Judge Dickie described Singh's actions as "highly careless".

Source: Stuff November 03, 2019 20:48 UTC