Goa, July 16 -- In a strong re buke to rampant illegal groundwater extraction, the High Court of Bom bay at Goa on Wednes day directed the Water Resources Department (WRD) to initiate penalty proceedings against the owners and occupants of 43 illegal borewells sealed in Chimbel, exposing what appears to have been a systematic network of concealed wells supplying water to dozens of homes in blatant violation of the law. The direction came af ter the WRD informed the Court that it had com plied with earlier judi cial orders by sealing all 43 illegal borewells that were supplying water to 73 houses in Dharwad kar Colony and Serrao Colony at Chimbel under the provisions of the Goa Ground Water Regulation Act, 2002. The Court, hearing a public...