Fajarasia.co – A married couple has been fined for driving an SUV on ecologically sensitive dunes in the Nubra Valley in northern India.
Police said the couple from Jaipur City were on holiday in Ladakh.
They were found driving over the sand dunes in Hunder, a picturesque village in the Leh district known for its chilly desert landscape.
They were also fined 50,000 rupees ($643) for “violating the prohibition order”.
“Leh district police asked tourists not to play in the sand dunes as you are an eyesore to the natural landscape,” the police said in a Facebook post Thursday (9/6/2022).
On Thursday (9/6/2022), many netizens praised the Leh police for taking swift action against the couple.
“So proud of our District Police Leh…Please keep the mountains/landscape clean and would like to see more strict traffic rules like that!” wrote one person on Facebook.
“Hats off, Ladakh Police,” another netizen commented.
The federally administered Ladakh region is an incredibly beautiful but sparsely populated region with pristine natural landscapes and towering mountains. It is popular with tourists who flock to the area during the summer months of May and June.
But experts say uncontrolled tourist numbers have ruined the beauty of the ecologically sensitive area.
In April, a video showing two men driving their Audi through the waters of Lake Pangong went viral on social media, sparking outrage.
The video shows people screaming from car roofs with alcohol and water bottles and packets of chips strewn on the riverbank.*****
