12 bikers, one SUV-owner fined for illegal off-roading in protected wildlife areas in Ladakh
Authorities in Ladakh have fined 12 bikers and an SUV owner for illegal off-roading in protected wildlife areas. The administration is cracking down on such activities to preserve the region's fragile ecology and wildlife habitats.
Why it matters
Highlights the tension between rising tourism and the need for environmental conservation in ecologically sensitive regions.
Authorities in Ladakh have fined 12 bikers and the owner of an SUV for illegally driving through protected wildlife areas, with Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena urging tourists to enjoy the Union territory responsibly and help preserve its pristine ecology and wildlife.
Taking stringent action against the growing menace of illegal off-roading in protected areas, the Ladakh administration has penalised bike-borne groups. As many as 12 bikers have been fined ₹10,000 each for illegally venturing into protected ecologically-sensitive zones near Lake Moriri, an official spokesman said on Tuesday (July 14, 2026).
He said another tourist driving an SUV near Pangong Lake has also been fined ₹50,000 for violating the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
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