2 more Indian beaches get Prestigious ‘Blue Flag’ certification

Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry are the two beaches that will be certified this year, as informed by the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry.

NewsBharati    22-Sep-2021
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New Delhi, September 22: India has achieved another milestone in its journey towards a clean and green India, as two more beaches in India have been awarded “Blue Flag” certification, an international eco-level tag. With that addition, India now has 10 International Blue Flag beaches.

Kovalam beach_1 &nbs
 

Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry are the two beaches that will be certified this year, as informed by the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry.

Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav expressed his joy on Twitter and congratulated everyone. “Happy to announce India now has 10 International Blue Flag beaches with the addition of Kovalam and Eden beaches this year and recertification for 8 beaches which got the tag in 2020. Another milestone in our journey towards a clean and green India led by PM @NarendraModi Ji," Yadav tweeted.
 
 
A beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator can earn the ‘Blue Flag' accreditation, which serves as an eco-label. Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world, according to the ministry. The accreditation is given by the Foundation for Environmental Education, a non-profit organisation based in Denmark that establishes strict environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria that candidates must meet and maintain.
 

Earlier, the Blue Flag certification was awarded to the eight beaches spread across five states and two union territories in India. These beaches include Shivrajpur (Dwarka-Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (AP), Golden (Puri-Odisha), and Radhanagar (A&N Islands). Last October 6, these eight beaches received the Blue Flag certification.

In order to achieve the "Sustainable Development" goals of India's coastal regions, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched the highly acclaimed and flagship program Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS). This is one of the initiatives under the ICZM approach that the MoEF&CC has undertaken for the sustainable development of India's coastal regions. This was done in order to obtain the internationally known and valued "Blue Flag" international eco-label, which was awarded by an international jury.