SRINAGAR: A day after an avalanche struck at Zero Level at Zoji La, positioned at an altitude of over 11,500 ft, killing seven individuals from Kargil and injuring six others, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Growth Council-Kargil Saturday accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of a lax response and urged the govts of Union Territories of Ladakh and J&Okay to deal with Zero Level as a part of Ladakh’s territory.Addressing a press convention in Drass, LAHDC-Kargil councillors praised the Military, civil administration and Ladakh Police for immediate rescue efforts and retrieval of our bodies from the snow following the accident on Friday afternoon. Nonetheless, they expressed shock over “J&Okay Police investigating the incident on Saturday morning”. Whereas J&Okay claimed the realm to be a part of its territory, its administrative equipment was all the time sluggish to reply when any mishap occurred there, they alleged.The councillors, in truth, disputed J&Okay’s declare that Zero Level, stretching about 5 km, falls beneath its jurisdiction.J&Okay officers keep that Zero Level at Zoji La marks the boundary between Ganderbal district in Kashmir and Kargil district in Ladakh. The councillors, nonetheless, stated Zero Level will not be a boundary, however a location used for snow-clearance operations by two wings of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) — BEACON and Vijayak, dealing with the Kashmir and the Ladakh sides, respectively.The chief government councillor of LAHDC-Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, stated because the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&Okay into two UTs on Aug 5, 2019, the boundary at Zoji La had not been demarcated and Zero Level fell beneath Ladakh’s jurisdiction, he stated.Akhoon stated heavy autos mustn’t have been allowed to maneuver together with mild autos on Friday, and urged authorities to permit site visitors on the Srinagar-Kargil street solely earlier than 11 am to scale back the danger of autos getting caught in avalanches. “Native knowledge suggests that in March and April, snow begins to soften at Zoji La within the afternoon, rising the danger of avalanches,” he stated.Whereas praising BRO for “doing a commendable job in conserving Zoji La open throughout winter”, Akhnoor careworn that “higher administration and consideration of native knowledge are wanted” to forestall accidents.