New Delhi [India], August 23 (ANI): Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has called on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to investigate why the sterilisation work for stray dogs has not produced any noticeable results in the last 12 years.

This comes after the Supreme Court on Friday modified its August 11 order, which had directed the rounding up of all stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR and prohibited their release from dog shelters. The court now allows the release of stray dogs back to the same area after sterilisation and immunisation.

The Congress leader further called for scrutiny of organisations that received funds for the sterilisation procedure.

'There is a law that we will sterilise the dogs and leave them in the same locality where they were caught. So, I do not understand why a new judgment has come from the Supreme Court... MCD should investigate why the sterilisation work, which has been ongoing for the last 12 years and involves organisations, the Government, and MCD, has not produced noticeable results. The organisations that received funding or contracts for this work should also be scrutinised for their integrity, financial accounts, and proper use of funds,' Dikshit told ANI.

Meanwhile, Union Minister SP Singh Baghel welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, stating that the government will work towards implementing the order.

'We will comply with every order of the Supreme Court. The state government followed the previous order and will follow today's decision as well. I welcome this decision and thank the Supreme Court,' Baghel told ANI.

A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria ruled that stray dogs must be released after sterilisation and immunisation, except those infected with rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour.

The court said that infected stray dogs shall be sterilised and immunised, but under no circumstances shall they be released back into the streets, and as far as possible, they shall be kept in separate shelters or pounds after sterilisation and immunisation. (ANI)