VISAKHAPATNAM: Blue Flag has been hoisted on Monday at Rushikonda beach, which along with seven other beaches in the country has been awarded Blue Flag Certification by an international jury comprising UNEP, UNWTO, FEE, IUCN in October this year.
The beaches were identified under the Union government’s flagship programme of Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) to get the international eco-label of Blue Flag certification, given by the Foundation of Environment Education of Denmark. The certification will give a big push to tourism as the foreign tourists prefer to visit the beaches, which have blue flag tags that meet 33 parameters such as beach water quality, environment management, and safety measures.
Hoisting the blue flag along with the national flag, Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao hailed the selection of Rushikonda beach for Blue Flag Certification in the State. He participated in the virtual meeting with Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who formally hoisted the Blue Flags in eight beaches. He said Andhra Pradesh has the second largest coast line after Gujarat. Only one beach in the State has been selected for the certification, while two in Karnataka were given Blue Flag tags.