Kargil, Jun 28: The Ladakh Administration has launched a strict crackdown on illegal off-roading in ecologically sensitive areas, imposing a total penalty of Rs 2 lakh on four tourists for violating the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Acting on the directions of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, the Wildlife Department fined four vehicle owners Rs 50,000 each for illegally driving into Pangong Lake and other protected wildlife areas in Changthang and Nubra.
The offenders hailed from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Officials said the action marks the first time such stringent penalties have been imposed in Ladakh against tourists damaging fragile ecosystems through illegal off-roading.
The vehicles were impounded during the investigation and released only after the penalties were paid.
Officials said, on June 26, the Wildlife department of Ladakh imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 each on four vehicles, who were found violating the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection).
The offending vehicles owners belonged to each from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh - for driving their cars illegally into the Pangong Lake and other protected wildlife zones in Changthang and Nubra, in the last few days.
The total penalty imposed on them, amounts to Rs 2 lakh.
The penalty imposed on offending drivers, reaffirms the administration's commitment to protecting Ladakh's fragile ecosystem and endangered wildlife.
While the cases of such illegal off-roading and stunts have been on the rise in recent times in Ladakh, it is for the first time that such strict penalty has been imposed on the miscreants.
In the instant cases, all the four vehicles were impounded by the officials after a thorough investigation and the vehicles were released only after the penalty was paid.
The action follows a series of violations detected by wildlife officials during routine patrolling and through social media surveillance and reported to the LG Secretariat.
As per an official statement, the violations were reported at four separate locations under the Leh Wildlife Division-Merak and Lukung along the ecologically sensitive shores of Pangong Lake, Nurboo La in Hanle, and Sumur in Nubra Valley.
LG Saxena reiterated that while Ladakh warmly welcomes visitors from across the country and the world, tourists must be responsible and environmentally conscious. He urged tourists, adventure enthusiasts and vehicle owners not to venture into protected wildlife habitats, as such activities disturb endangered species and damage fragile ecosystems and also harms the sanctity of the tourist places.
In the latest incident, on 23 June 2026, wildlife staff detected a Mahindra Thar being driven off-road near Merak, into the waters of the Pangong Lake.
The driver had deliberately driven the vehicle into the water for stunt purposes, causing damage to critical wildlife habitat and polluting the lake.
The driver was found prima facie guilty under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and later, the vehicle was seized.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that off-road driving within or in the vicinity of protected areas is a punishable offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and warned that stringent action would continue against all such violators.
