Eight beaches in India have been awarded the prestigious ‘Blue Flag’ certification, the Union Environment Ministry said on Sunday. The beaches which have been awarded the certification are spread across five states and two Union Territories. Terming it a “proud moment” for the country, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the certification is a global recognition of India’s conservation and sustainable development efforts.
‘Proud moment for India’
The Blue Flag certification is a globally recognised eco-label accorded by “Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark” based on 33 stringent criteria under four major heads — environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environmental management and conservation, and safety and services at the beaches.
Proud moment for India; all 8 beaches recommended by government gets coveted International #Blueflag Certification.@narendramodi pic.twitter.com/j38BTnibl0
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 11, 2020
In a statement, the ministry said, Blue Flag certification has been awarded to eight beaches by an international jury comprising of eminent members of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Denmark-based NGO Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The 8 ‘Blue Flag’ beaches are:
- Shivrajpur in Gujarat
- Ghoghla in Diu
- Kasarkod, in Karnataka
- Padubidri in Karnataka
- Kappad in Kerala
- Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh
- Golden in Odisha
- Radhanagar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
India has also been awarded the third prize by the jury under the “International Best Practices” for pollution control in coastal regions, it added.
India has also been awarded the third prize by the jury under the “International Best Practices” for pollution control in coastal regions, it added.
India becomes the first country to be awarded coveted international #BlueFlag certification for 8 of its beaches in one attempt. pic.twitter.com/abfp3brE1K
— Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) October 11, 2020
The government had on September 18 recommended these eight beaches for the coveted international eco-label. “India is also the first country in Asia-Pacific region which has achieved this feat in just about 2 years’ time,” Javadekar said. Japan, South Korea and the UAE are the only other Asian nations who have been conferred with a couple of Blue Flag beaches, however, in a time frame of about five to six years, the statement said.
‘Truly a wonderful feat!’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the prestigious Blue Flag certification for eight Indian beaches as a wonderful feat and said it showcases the importance India attaches to protecting such spots and furthering sustainable development.
8 of India’s serene beaches get the prestigious Blue Flag Certification. This showcases the importance India attaches to protecting such spots and furthering sustainable development.
Truly a wonderful feat! https://t.co/dy02H7AyaD
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 11, 2020
