Leh: In a first-of-its-kind enforcement drive in Ladakh, the administration has imposed hefty penalties on tourists for illegal off-roading in ecologically sensitive and protected wildlife areas, signalling a tougher stance against environmental violations in the Union Territory.
Acting on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Wildlife Department of Ladakh has initiated prosecution and imposed a total penalty of ₹2 lakh on four vehicle owners found violating provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Each offender was fined ₹50,000 after being found driving vehicles inside protected wildlife zones and environmentally sensitive areas, including the shores and waters of Pangong Lake, as well as areas in Changthang and Nubra.
The penalised vehicles belonged to tourists from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Officials said this marks the first time such strict monetary penalties have been enforced in Ladakh against tourists involved in illegal off-roading and stunt driving inside protected landscapes.
The action came after wildlife authorities detected repeated violations during field patrols and through social media surveillance. Several incidents were also brought to the notice of the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat.
The violations were recorded at four separate locations under the Leh Wildlife Division — Merak and Lukung along Pangong Lake, Nurboo La in Hanle, and Sumur in Nubra Valley.
According to officials, all four vehicles were seized following investigation and released only after the offenders deposited the penalty amount.
One of the latest incidents involved a Mahindra Thar bearing registration number PB 11DD 7773, which was detected on June 23 entering the waters of Pangong Lake near Merak. Officials alleged that the driver intentionally drove into the lake to perform stunts, resulting in habitat disturbance and pollution of the water body. The vehicle was subsequently seized under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.
In another case, a Hyundai Creta registered in Uttar Pradesh was caught driving off-road near Lukung on June 21 inside the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. Authorities intercepted and impounded the vehicle later the same day near Zingral along Changla Pass.
Wildlife officials also acted against a Mahindra Thar from Punjab after a social media video surfaced showing the vehicle moving through a stream inside the Karakoram (Nubra–Shayok) Wildlife Sanctuary. Officials said the activity damaged habitat and disturbed ecological integrity in the protected zone. The vehicle was traced with assistance from local police and seized at Kharu.
Another case involved a Toyota Fortuner allegedly driven off-road near Nurboo La in Hanle. A viral video showed the vehicle reportedly chasing a Tibetan Gazelle inside the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. Wildlife teams, in coordination with police, conducted an overnight search operation and located the vehicle near a homestay in Hanle.
Following legal proceedings, all four offenders paid the penalties and secured release of their vehicles.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena reiterated that Ladakh remains open and welcoming to visitors from across India and abroad but stressed that tourism must remain responsible and environmentally conscious.
He urged tourists, adventure enthusiasts and vehicle owners to avoid entering protected habitats and fragile ecosystems, warning that such activities endanger wildlife, damage sensitive landscapes and undermine the sanctity of tourist destinations.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that off-road driving within or near protected wildlife areas is a punishable offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and said strict enforcement would continue against violators in the future.
The latest crackdown is being seen as a strong message from the administration that environmental violations in Ladakh’s fragile mountain ecosystem will no longer go unchecked.
