Two extra Indian seashores have been awarded the coveted eco-level ‘Blue Flag’ tag by a global jury, taking the entire variety of such seashores within the nation to 10.
Kovalam and Eden seashores of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry respectively have been accorded this certification this yr together with re-certification of eight different seashores, which bought the tag final yr, by a Denmark based mostly NGO, The Basis for Atmosphere Schooling (FEE).
What’s the ‘Blue Flag’ tag?
Kerala Tourism
The ‘Blue Flag’ is a certification that may be obtained by a seaside, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label. It’s awarded yearly to FEE member international locations based mostly on the suggestions of an Worldwide jury which incorporates United Nations Atmosphere Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Basis for Environmental Schooling (FEE) and Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Why is it vital?
The ‘Blue Flag’ seashores are thought-about as top-of-the-line seashores on the earth by way of cleanliness, security, sustainability, and many others. Round fifty international locations presently take part within the programme, and over 4,000 seashores, marinas, and boats have this certification. Spain has the best variety of Blue Flag tagged websites on the earth.
Kumar ss/The Hindu
However getting it isn’t a simple activity. Thirty-three stringent standards have to be complied with earlier than a seaside could be licensed and permitted to hoist such a flag.
FEE- nominated representatives conduct common monitoring and audits for compliance and thus, concerted efforts are required to qualify for Blue Flag Certification. The second a ‘Blue Flag’ is hoisted on a seaside, the point out is made within the international headquarters of FEE in Copenhagen, Denmark and thereby on the World Tourism Map.
A waving flag signifies full compliance to the 33 stringent standards and sound well being of the seaside.
How did it start?
The ‘Blue Flag’ programme was began in France in 1985. It gained acceptance throughout Europe in 1987, nonetheless, after South Africa joined the programme in 2001, the European Blue Flag grew to become the Worldwide Blue Flag, selling sustainable improvement in freshwater and marine areas by means of 4 fundamental standards: bathing water high quality, environmental training and data, environmental administration, conservation and security companies within the seashores.
India’s contribution to the programme
India is aimed toward increasing the community of Blue Flag certification to 100 such seashores within the nation within the subsequent 5 years. In pursuance of this aim, India began its journey of sustainable improvement of coastal areas on World Atmosphere Day in June, 2018 by launching its seaside cleansing marketing campaign – ‘I-AM- SAVING-MY-BEACH’ concurrently at 13 coastal states and thereafter launching India’s personal eco-label Seashore Atmosphere and Aesthetics Administration Providers (BEAMS) underneath its Built-in Coastal Zone Administration (ICZM) challenge which has a primary goal of defending and conserving the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems by means of holistic administration of assets.
In the identical yr, Chandrabhaga seaside on the Konark coast of Odisha grew to become not solely India’s but additionally Asia’s first seaside to get the Blue Flag certification. In December, final yr, eight Indian seashores held digital and bodily flag hoisting (‘Blue Flag’) ceremony attended by the Union Atmosphere Minister, State Ministers and officers. These seashores are Golden Seashore (Odisha), Shivrajpur Seashore (Gujarat), Kappad Seashore (Kerala), Ghoghla Seashore (Diu), Radhanagar Seashore (Andaman and Nicobar), Kasarkod Seashore (Karnataka), Padubidri Seashore (Karnataka), Rushikonda Seashore (Andhra Pradesh).