Eight Indian beaches gets ‘Blue Flag’ certification

Eight beaches spread across five states and two union territories in India have been awarded the ‘Blue Flag’ certification, the environment ministry said on Sunday. The eight beaches that have received the international ‘Blue Flag’ certification are Shivrajpur (Dwarka-Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasargod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (AP), Golden (Puri-Odisha) and Radhanagar (A&N Islands).

The ‘Blue Flag’ certification was awarded to the eight Indian beaches by an international jury, comprising members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

While Japan, South Korea, and UAE have been conferred with a couple of Blue Flag beaches in a time frame of about 5 to 6 years, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar state that India is the first country in “Asia- Pacific” region which has achieved this feat in just about two years’ time and is now in the league of 50 “Blue Flag” countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Blue Flag certification for eight beaches as a ‘wonderful feat’, saying it showcases the importance India attaches to protecting such spots and furthering sustainable development.

Terming it a “proud moment” for the country, Mr Javadekar said the certification is a global recognition of India’s conservation and sustainable development efforts.

The government had on September 18 recommended these eight beaches for the coveted international eco-label.

Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world, the ministry had said earlier.