India’s eight beaches get ‘Blue Flag’ tag
Eight Indian beaches spread across five states and two union territories have been awarded the ‘Blue Flag’ tag by the Foundation for Environmental Education.
The Blue Flag is a well-recognized voluntary eco-label given to a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator which meets its standards. It is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The eight Indian beaches which got this tag are Shivrajpur (Dwarka, Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden Beach (Puri, Odisha), and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
The beaches awarded blue flag tags are considered as the cleanest beaches of the world. To qualify for this tag, there are 33 strict criteria relating to environmental, educational, safety, services, and accessibility standards that should be met by the beaches.
Prakash Javadekar, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change said that ‘it was a proud moment for India as all 8 beaches recommended by the government get coveted international ‘Blue Flag’ certification’.
