To protect the fragile Himalayan cold desert ecosystem, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday ordered a strict ban on identified single-use plastic items and littering across the Union Territory.

The move comes amid concerns over accelerating glacier melt and growing calls to safeguard the region’s delicate environment. 

The LG announced the decision in a post on X, saying Ladakh’s pristine environment is its greatest strength and the foundation of its tourism economy, and that development must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility.

Ladakh’s high-altitude ecosystem is among the most fragile in the Himalayas, with extremely limited capacity to process waste. 

In recent years, rising tourist footfall, expanding construction activity and changing consumption patterns have added to the burden of solid waste management. 

“Single-use plastics have increasingly become a visible issue, particularly in urban pockets like Leh, where improper disposal often leads to accumulation in drains, water channels and open landscapes,” said the officials.

Under the new regulations, individuals as well as commercial establishments and institutions, including hotels and eateries, found using, selling or storing banned single-use plastic items will be liable to an environmental penalty of ₹10,000. Littering in public places will attract a fine of ₹5,000.

The framework also empowers field-level officers, including BDOs, tehsildars, municipal officers, foresters and guards, to detect violations and issue challans to ensure stricter enforcement on the ground.

The authorities will also conduct random checks at Leh airport and at all border entry points in Ladakh to curb the entry and circulation of single-use plastic items.

Published on June 19, 2026