Ladakh penalises tourists for illegal off roading in Pangong Lake and wildlife areas

LEH June 28,2026 — The Ladakh administration, acting on the directions of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, has for the first time imposed hefty penalties and initiated prosecutions against tourists involved in illegal off-roading across ecologically sensitive lakes and river streams.

The Wildlife Department of Ladakh penalised four vehicle owners from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh a total sum of Rs 2 lakh, with each offender fined Rs 50,000 under the Wildlife Protection Act. The strict action followed routine patrolling, local police cooperation, and social media surveillance that flagged violations at separate locations under the Leh Wildlife Division, including Merak and Lukung along the shores of Pangong Lake, Nurboo La in Hanle, and Sumur in Nubra Valley.

Among the incidents, a vehicle was seized on June 23 after being driven into the waters of Pangong Lake near Merak for stunts, while another vehicle was intercepted at Changla Pass on June 21 after a video emerged of it off-roading near Lukung within the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary.

Earlier, on June 20, a vehicle was tracked down and impounded at Kharu after being filmed driving through a stream inside the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. In a separate incident on June 17, authorities traced a vehicle to a homestay in Hanle after social media footage showed it being driven off-road near Nurboo La to chase a Tibetan Gazelle. All four impounded vehicles were released only after the offenders paid the fines.

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena reiterated that while Ladakh welcomes global and domestic visitors, tourists must remain environmentally conscious, warning that off-road driving near protected habitats is a punishable offence and that stringent monitoring will continue to protect the region’s fragile ecosystem.