India, June 28 -- In a first-of-its-kind crackdown, the Ladakh Administration has imposed a total penalty of Rs.2 lakh on four tourists for illegally driving vehicles through Pangong Lake and other protected wildlife areas, citing serious environmental violations under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The action was taken on the directions of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena following a rise in incidents of tourists performing off-roading stunts in ecologically fragile zones. The Wildlife Department fined each of the four vehicle owners Rs.50,000 after they were found entering protected habitats in Changthang and Nubra.

According to officials, the violators belonged to Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Their veh...