It is our primary responsibility as tourists to conserve ecologically vulnerable sites in India and around the world. Creating a commotion or endangering the environment under the guise of enjoyment is the last thing we should do. However, in a viral video, travellers were seen doing just that on their visit to Ladakh.
Parveen Kaswan, an Indian Forest Service official, released a video showing visitors driving their SUVs around Ramsar sites, Tso Kar and Tso Moriri lakes. The video was first uploaded on Twitter by Mofussil_Medic, and it was afterwards shared by Parveen Kaswan. It depicts SUVs speeding across the lake’s wetland.
“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!” the video caption reads.
This kind of nuisance must be checked. https://t.co/EVINK1qj9Y
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) July 9, 2023
Needless to mention, the video angered numerous Twitter users. “When you promote tourism excessively in eco-sensitive zones, this is bound to happen,” a user wrote.
“Simple solution: do not allow private vehicles in Laddakh. It is an eco-sensitive zone,” another user suggested.
The officer’s tweet has garnered over 39.1K views, 62 retweets, 3 quote tweets, and 344 likes.
