In a major crackdown on illegal off-roading in protected wildlife areas, the Ladakh Administration has imposed a ₹1.20 lakh penalty on 12 bikers for illegally riding through ecologically sensitive zones near Tso Moriri Lake. In a separate case, an SUV owner was fined ₹50,000 for driving off-road near Pangong Lake in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

According to the Administration, on July 4, wildlife officials intercepted a group of 12 bikers associated with WanderOn Experiences Pvt. Ltd., Gurugram, riding off-road near Tso Moriri, a protected wetland within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The group was found to have violated Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, and the offence was compounded under Section 54 after the riders paid a total penalty of ₹1.20 lakh, amounting to ₹10,000 per motorcycle.

Earlier, on June 30, wildlife officials on patrol near Man Village along Pangong Lake intercepted a Mahindra XUV 3XO with a Uttar Pradesh registration number for illegally driving off-road within the sanctuary. The vehicle was seized under Section 50 of the Act, and its driver, a resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, was fined ₹50,000 before the vehicle was released.

The Administration noted that while Ladakh has become one of India's most popular destinations for motorcycle tourism, increasing incidents of off-roading through fragile wetlands, lake shores and wildlife habitats have caused serious ecological damage and disturbed wildlife.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena urged visitors to enjoy Ladakh responsibly and respect its fragile environment.
"Ladakh's mountains, lakes, rivers and wildlife are among its greatest treasures. We welcome every visitor, but they must enjoy our landscapes responsibly and refrain from activities that harm our fragile ecology or protected habitats. While we will continue to promote tourism, the Administration will enforce the law strictly against those who damage Ladakh's priceless natural heritage," he said.

The crackdown follows the Lieutenant Governor's directions to curb illegal off-roading and protect Ladakh's ecologically sensitive landscapes. The initiative has been strengthened with the recent deployment of the Ladakh Environment Protection Force (EPF), comprising 100 ex-servicemen authorised to patrol protected areas and issue on-the-spot penalties to violators.

Officials said both violations were detected through regular patrolling by the Wildlife Department and its network of wildlife informers, reflecting the Administration's enhanced surveillance and enforcement efforts across protected landscapes.