An amount of Rs 1.4 crore has been generated as environment fee from tourists and non-state subjects who visited Ladakh till October end this year. The amount generated was given out during a review meeting held under the chairmanship of chief executive councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Rigzin Spalbar at the conference hall yesterday. During the meeting, Assistant Director of the Tourism Department, Leh, Sonam Dorje said the revenue was generated from 47,000 domestic tourists and 14,000 foreign tourists who had applied for inner line permit to visit restricted areas of the district and 16,000 labourers. The collection of Rs 300 from foreign tourists and Rs 200 from domestic tourists including all non-official visitors as environment fee started from May 5, 2012, as per the policy decision of the LAHDC to generate income for preservation of environment and creation of tourist convenience at tourists spots. “To collect the environment fee uniformly from all non-state subject visitors of Ladakh from the next tourism season, the Tourism Department is in touch with the Airport Authority of India. A counter will be set up at Khushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport, Leh, and contractual employees will be appointed to set up a collection centre at the entry point near Khalsti on the Leh-Srinagar National Highway and Upshi on the Leh-Manali highway,” said Dorje. Addressing the meeting, Spalbar said the environment fee will be used exclusively on the preservation of environment and creation of tourist convenience at tourists spots.