Explained: What Is 'Blue Flag' Tag, How And Why It's Given To Beaches
As the end of September drew near, two more Indian beaches were awarded the coveted eco-level 'Blue Flag' tag by an eminent international jury, taking the total number of such beaches in the country to 10.
Two more Indian beaches have been awarded the coveted eco-level 'Blue Flag' tag by an international jury, taking the total number of such beaches in the country to 10.
Kovalam and Eden beaches of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry respectively were accorded this certification this year along with re-certification of eight other beaches, which got the tag last year, by a Denmark based NGO, The Foundation for Environment Education (FEE).
What is the 'Blue Flag' tag?
Kerala Tourism
The ¡®Blue Flag¡¯ is a certification that can be obtained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label. It is awarded annually to FEE member countries based on the recommendations of an International jury which includes United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Why is it important?
The 'Blue Flag' beaches are considered as one of the best beaches in the world in terms of cleanliness, safety, sustainability, etc. Around fifty countries currently participate in the programme, and over 4,000 beaches, marinas, and boats have this certification. Spain has the highest number of Blue Flag tagged sites in the world.
Kumar ss/The Hindu
But getting it is not an easy task. Thirty-three stringent criteria must be complied with before a beach can be certified and permitted to hoist such a flag.
FEE- nominated representatives conduct regular monitoring and audits for compliance and thus, concerted efforts are required to qualify for Blue Flag Certification. The moment a 'Blue Flag' is hoisted on a beach, the mention is made in the global headquarters of FEE in Copenhagen, Denmark and thereby on the World Tourism Map.
A waving flag indicates full compliance to the 33 stringent criteria and sound health of the beach.
How did it begin?
The 'Blue Flag' programme was started in France in 1985. It gained acceptance across Europe in 1987, however, after South Africa joined the programme in 2001, the European Blue Flag became the International Blue Flag, promoting sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria: bathing water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, conservation and safety services in the beaches.
India's contribution to the programme
India is aimed at expanding the network of Blue Flag certification to 100 such beaches in the country in the next five years. In pursuance of this goal, India started its journey of sustainable development of coastal regions on World Environment Day in June, 2018 by launching its beach cleaning campaign - 'I-AM- SAVING-MY-BEACH' simultaneously at 13 coastal states and thereafter launching India's own eco-label Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) under its Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project which has a prime objective of protecting and conserving the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through holistic management of resources.
In the same year, Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha became not only India¡¯s but also Asia¡¯s first beach to get the Blue Flag certification. In December, last year, eight Indian beaches held virtual and physical flag hoisting (¡®Blue Flag¡¯) ceremony attended by the Union Environment Minister, State Ministers and officials. These beaches are Golden Beach (Odisha), Shivrajpur Beach (Gujarat), Kappad Beach (Kerala), Ghoghla Beach (Diu), Radhanagar Beach (Andaman and Nicobar), Kasarkod Beach (Karnataka), Padubidri Beach (Karnataka), Rushikonda Beach (Andhra Pradesh).
