Overview
- The Ladakh administration imposed a total penalty of ₹2 lakh on four vehicle owners, with each fined ₹50,000 and their vehicles released after payment.
- Officials said the fines were ordered by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena and carried out by the Wildlife Department under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- The violations occurred at Merak and Lukung on Pangong Lake, Nurboo La in Hanle, and Sumur in Nubra Valley, and included a vehicle driven into Pangong’s waters and another reportedly chasing a Tibetan gazelle.
- Authorities traced and impounded the vehicles after routine wildlife patrols and monitoring of viral social media videos led to coordinated police and wildlife follow‑ups.
- Officials and conservationists say the move, announced on June 26, aims to deter stunt driving that pollutes water, destroys slow‑regenerating vegetation and disturbs endangered species, and could lead to sustained prosecutions and stricter tourism controls.