Eight Indian Beaches Awarded With 'Blue Flag' Certification

Union Environmental Minister Prakash Javadekar on October 11 announced that eight Indian beaches have been accredited with 'Blue Flag' certification in a single attempt, by an international jury. They include -  Shivrajpur, Ghoghla, Kasarkod and Padubidri, Kappad, Rushikonda, Golden Beach and Radhanagar. Blue flag accreditations are given to beaches with the best standards for environment and tourism. Reportedly, the jury included members from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The minister proudly mentioned that India is the first country in the Asia Pacific region to have achieved the feat in a span of two years. “This is also a global recognition of India’s conservation and sustainable development efforts,” he further added.