Ladakh fines 13 tourists Rs 1.7 lakh for off-roading in protected wildlife areas

SRINAGAR: The Ladakh administration has imposed fines totalling Rs 1.7 lakh on 13 tourists for illegally off-roading in protected wildlife areas, continuing a crackdown on activities that harm the region's fragile ecology.

Twelve bikers from Gurgaon were fined a cumulative Rs 1.2 lakh for riding into the ecologically sensitive area near Tso Moriri, a high-altitude lake in the remote Changthang region. Separately, an SUV driver from Uttar Pradesh was fined Rs 50,000 for a similar violation near Pangong Lake.

According to a government spokesperson, wildlife officials found the group of bikers, part of a Gurgaon-based tour operator named Wanderon Experiences Pvt Ltd, illegally off-roading near Tso Moriri on Tuesday.

In another incident, wildlife officers on routine patrol near a village along Pangong Lake intercepted a Mahindra XUV 3XO with Uttar Pradesh registration being driven off-road within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The vehicle was seized and the driver, a resident of Meerut, was fined.

These actions follow a previous penalty of Rs 2 lakh imposed on four tourists for off-roading at Pangong Lake and other protected areas, marking the Union Territory's first punitive measures against such incursions.

Ladakh has become a popular destination for motorcycle enthusiasts, leading to an increase in instances of tourists venturing into protected wildlife areas, driving through fragile wetlands, lake shores, and sensitive habitats.

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena urged tourists to enjoy the region's landscapes responsibly. “I urge all tourists to enjoy our breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife responsibly and refrain from any activity that harms our fragile ecology or disturbs protected habitats,” he said in a statement.