In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Ladakh Administration has deployed 100 retired personnel from the Indian Army, paramilitary forces and the Ladakh Scouts as part of a newly established Environment Protection Force (EPF) to safeguard the Union Territory’s fragile ecosystem.
The deployment follows recent enforcement action in which four tourists were fined a total of ₹2 lakh for illegally driving through ecologically sensitive areas near Pangong Lake and allegedly disturbing wildlife by chasing a Tibetan gazelle.
The EPF personnel will patrol high-altitude ecosystems, wildlife habitats and other environmentally sensitive regions across Ladakh. They have been authorised to detect environmental violations, prevent illegal activities and issue on-the-spot challans against offenders.
The force has been constituted to curb illegal off-roading, littering, pollution and other activities that threaten Ladakh’s unique cold desert ecosystem. Conservationists have long warned that unregulated off-road driving damages fragile alpine vegetation, disturbs endangered wildlife and leaves lasting scars on the landscape.
Announcing the initiative, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the Environment Protection Force would act as a strong deterrent against environmental violations while promoting responsible tourism. The administration also noted that engaging retired servicemen in the initiative would provide meaningful post-retirement employment opportunities while leveraging their discipline and field experience to strengthen environmental enforcement.
The initiative marks a significant step towards balancing tourism with ecological conservation in one of India’s most environmentally sensitive regions.
