New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Centre and Delhi Government to file response on a plea seeking directions to carry out sterilization programmes for controlling stray dog population.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao also asked Animal Welfare Board and South Delhi Municipal Corporation to file response on the plea and listed the matter for January 30.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by Conference For Human Rights through Secretary General Nanita Sharma.

The organisation has filed the plea saying that they are adversely affected by the inaction and dereliction of statutory duties on the part of the civic bodies which is resulting in a rapid increase in the stray dog population of the city, particularly in south Delhi.

"There is an alarming growth in the population of stray dogs, resulting in conflicts in society, over the strays and rising cases of dog bites," the plea said.

The petitioner has sought direction to carry out census of the stray dogs, once in every two-three years to contain the population of strays.

The petitioner also sought direction to display on the governments' website the number of stray dogs sterilized in a particular sterilization programme undertaken by the civic agencies.

The petitioner has sought court's direction to South Delhi Municipal Corporation to show a collective data of dog population under the area and as to how many dog sterilization centres are functioning under it.