Sagar Firdous
Leh, Jul 14 (KNS): The Ladakh administration has imposed a fine of ?1.20 lakh on 12 bikers and penalised an SUV driver ?50,000 for illegal off-roading in protected wildlife areas.
An official told news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) the 12 bikers, part of a group operated by Gurugram-based 'Wanderon Experiences Pvt Ltd', were caught on July 4 driving off-road near Tso Moriri, an ecologically sensitive wetland within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. They were found violating Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the offence was compounded under Section 54 upon payment of ?10,000 per motorcycle, a wildlife official said.
In a separate incident on June 30, wildlife personnel intercepted a Mahindra XUV 3XO (UP12CA5111) near Man Village along Pangong Lake. The vehicle, registered in Uttar Pradesh, was seized under Section 50 of the Act, and the driver — a resident of Meerut — was fined ?50,000. The vehicle was released after the penalty was paid, the official added.
"We wholeheartedly welcome every visitor who comes to experience Ladakh's unparalleled beauty. However, I urge all tourists to enjoy our landscapes responsibly and refrain from any activity that harms our fragile ecology. The administration will continue to promote tourism, but will enforce the law firmly against those who endanger our priceless natural heritage," Saxena said.
The crackdown follows the L-G's recent directions to curb illegal off-roading and protect Ladakh's environmentally sensitive areas. The administration has also deployed the Ladakh Environment Protection Force (EPF), comprising 100 ex-servicemen authorised to monitor ecologically sensitive zones and issue on-the-spot challans.
Ladakh has emerged as a top destination for motorcycle enthusiasts in recent years, but authorities have flagged a rise in off-road driving through wetlands, lake shores and protected habitats, causing irreversible damage to the region's unique ecosystem. (KNS)