'Nuisance must be checked': Tourists chided over carelessness around Ladakh lakes; video goes viral

With the soaring temperatures, tourists are looking for cool places to spend quality time. This is, however, brought up without considering the environmental consequences. In light of a similar incident, a 23-second clip from Ladakh has become viral. In the video, a black SUV moving at breakneck speed makes patterns at one of Ladakh’s sensitive Ramsar sites.

An intergovernmental treaty born in 1971, the Ramsar Convention provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the protection and conservation of wetlands and their resources.

The post was shared on Twitter by Mofussil_Medic, known as @Daak_Saab. It has garnered over 73,000 views. The clip shows various drone shots of the heavy vehicle speeding around the lake in a zigzag pattern. The user also shared how tourists’ unruly behaviour is becoming unmanageable over the years. Pointing towards the significance of the otherwise visibly ‘barren’ land, he expressed that such people need to be ‘named, booked and shamed.’

Check out the post:

Shared by a fellow birder from #Ladakh… this stupidity is getting out of hand. This seemingly "barren" landscape is teeming with #life– and the short summer is when that life is at its peak. That too at a Ramsar Site! These idiots need to be named, shamed and booked!… pic.twitter.com/wRpYkkYf6p

— Mofussil_Medic (@Daak_Saab) July 9, 2023

Check out some of the comments below:

Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer-turned-conservationist Parveen Kaswan acknowledged the matter. He re-tweeted the post and captioned it: “This kind of nuisance must be checked.”

This kind of nuisance must be checked. https://t.co/EVINK1qj9Y

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) July 9, 2023

One user wrote: “When you promote tourism excessively in eco-sensitive zones, this is bound to happen.”

When you promote tourism excessively in eco sensitive zones
This is bound to happen

— kuch Na Kaho …. ❤ (@DawgsOfLawds) July 9, 2023

To which Mofussil replied: “Agreed to an extent. But tourism is the mainstay of Ladakh’s livelihood today. Instead of entirely doing away with it, ways and means to do it with minimal harm need to be found and implemented.”

Agreed to an extent. But then, tourism is the mainstay of the livelihood of many people in Ladakh today. Instead of entirely doing away with it, ways and means to do it with minimal harm need to be found out and implemented.

— Mofussil_Medic (@Daak_Saab) July 9, 2023

Several users commented on the IFS officer’s post. Check out the comments:

“Do they even know that the people of Ladakh treat lakes with reverence and respect; some of them indeed have religious significance owing to their Buddhist beliefs. I am completely shocked at their irresponsible and condemnable behavior. Such people should be exposed naked,” suggested a user.

Another user, also an IFS officer, wrote: “Officers in charge of the Ramsar site. Please respond to such irresponsible tourism and institutionalize preventive actions on the ground.”

“Such disregard for nature,” said a third.

Amongst various Ramsar sites in India are Tso Kar and Tso Moriri, located in Ladakh. The ramsar tag makes it important to preserve the lake area with minimal human interference.

However, it is not the first time this has happened. In the past, a group of tourists drove their car through the PangongPso lake in Ladakh, leaving internet users angry.