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SRINAGAR: Twelve bikers from Gurgaon were fined a cumulative Rs 1.2 lakh for allegedly riding into the ecologically sensitive Tso Moriri — a pristine, high-altitude lake in the remote Changthang region — as part of Ladakh administration’s continued crackdown on off-roading in protected wildlife areas. Administration also slapped a Rs 50,000 fine on an SUV driver from Uttar Pradesh for a similar violation.The latest penal action comes days after four tourists were fined a total Rs 2 lakh for off-roading in Pangong Lake and other protected wildlife areas in the UT’s first punitive action against such illegal incursions.A government spokesperson said Tuesday wildlife officials found the group of 12 bikers, part of a Gurgaon-based tour operator, ‘Wanderon Experiences Pvt Ltd’, illegally off-roading near Tso Moriri.In a separate case, wildlife officers on routine patrol near a village along Pangong Lake intercepted a Mahindra XUV 3XO bearing a Uttar Pradesh registration being driven off-road within the Changthang wildlife sanctuary. The vehicle was seized and the driver, a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, was fined Rs 50,000.Ladakh, which has emerged as one of the country’s most sought-after destinations for motorcycle enthusiasts, has witnessed a rise in instances of tourists venturing into protected wildlife areas, driving through fragile wetlands, lake shores and sensitive habitats.“I urge all tourists to enjoy our breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife responsibly and refrain from any activity that harms our fragile ecology or disturbs protected habitats,” L-G VK Saxena said in a statement.
