2 More Indian Beaches Get Coveted 2 More Indian Beaches Get Coveted Blue Flag Certification


Blue Beaches Certification: Two beaches in Lakshadweep have recently received international eco-label “Blue Flag”.

Key Points:

  • The two beaches are Minicoy Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach.
  • The Thundi Beach is one of the most pristine and picturesque beaches in the Lakshadweep archipelago where white sand is lined by the turquoise-blue water of the lagoon. It is a paradise for swimmers and tourists alike.
  • The Kadmat Beach is especially popular with cruise tourists who visit the island for water sports.
  • These two beaches have a dedicated staff to maintain cleanliness and provide safety and security for swimmers.
  • Both the beaches comply with all the 33 criteria as mandated by the Foundation for Environment Education (FEE).
  • With these new entrants, now there are 12 Blue beaches in India.

Other Indian beaches with Blue Tag Certification:

  • Other beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden beach (Odisha), Radhanagar (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) and Eden (Puducherry).
  • In 2021, the certification was given to Kovalam beach in Tamil Nadu and Eden beach in Puducherry.
  • Golden Beach in Odisha, Puri was the first Indian as well as Asia's first Blue Flag certified beach. A 30-km stretch of the Marina Beach in Chennai is currently being developed for receiving Blue Flag Beach certification for which the government has allocated Rs.100 crore for the implementation of this project.

What is Blue Flag Certification?

  • The Blue Beach certificate is given by Copenhagen, Denmark based organization Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
  • It is an eco-label awarded to the cleanest beaches in the world.
  • It is obtained by a beach, marina or sustainable boating tourism operators in the FEE member countries.
  • The beaches have to meet the about 33 stringent requirements or criteria which includes environmental, educational, access and safety-related criteria.
  • The blue flag certification is seen as an indicator for high environmental and quality standards of beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism.
  • The Blue Flag programme was initiated in 1985 to promote sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria –
  1. Water quality,
  2. Environmental management,
  3. Environmental education and
  4. Environmental safety.
  • It was expanded to include areas outside Europe in 2001.

About FEE:

  • The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a non-governmental organization headquartered in Denmark.
  • Its goal is to promote sustainable development through environmental education.
  • It is implementing five programmes –
  1. Blue Flag,
  2. Eco-Schools,
  3. Young Reporters for Environment,
  4. Learning About Forests (LEAF) and
  5. Green Key International.
  • It currently has 77-member countries.


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