On the eve of National Youth Day, Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta engaged in a candid dialogue with the city's young minds at an interactive session titled 'Lunch with Rekha Gupta'. The event saw around 30 participants, including students, social activists, and digital content creators, who raised some of the capital's most pressing civic and social challenges.
Confronting Environmental and Animal Welfare Challenges
One of the most pointed questions came from Prafful Garg, who identified the towering garbage mountains at Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla as Delhi's most significant environmental failure. In her response, Chief Minister Gupta outlined her administration's aggressive steps to tackle the issue. She stated that previous governments had limited bio-mining capacity to a mere 10,000-11,000 metric tonnes per day.
"We tripled this capacity to 30,000–35,000 metric tonnes daily by using drone surveys, expanding machinery, and fixing time-bound targets," Gupta explained, highlighting a data-driven and target-oriented approach.
The discussion then shifted to animal welfare, prompted by a question from Harteerath Singh Ahluwalia regarding street dogs. The CM firmly stated that her government does not support cruelty in any form and adheres strictly to Supreme Court guidelines. She detailed concrete measures, including the revitalization of 17 veterinary hospitals, strengthening staff, and collaborating with NGOs for extensive sterilization and vaccination drives.
Focus on Mental Health and Governance
Mental health and the education system also featured prominently in the conversation. Responding to Manavendra Chauhan, Gupta emphasized ongoing efforts to transform schools into more sensitive and supportive spaces for students' well-being.
When asked about her daily routine by Riya Upreti, the Chief Minister offered a glimpse into her demanding schedule. Her day begins at 5:30 am with study and yoga, followed by a relentless series of reviews, meetings, and public interactions that often stretch late into the night. "In public life, daytime and nighttime seem to get blurred," she remarked, underscoring the all-consuming nature of her role.
A Platform for Youth Voices
The 'Lunch with Rekha Gupta' event served as a direct channel for young residents to voice their concerns on issues ranging from civic sense and infrastructure to public health. By fielding questions on such a wide spectrum—from the macro problem of garbage mountains to the micro details of her daily life—the CM aimed to bridge the gap between the government and Delhi's youth on National Youth Day. The interaction highlighted the administration's stated priorities and opened a forum for accountability and dialogue on the city's future.
