Eight Indian beaches get Blue-Flag certification; PM Modi lauds

An international jury presented Blue-Flag certification to eight Indian beaches.

Eight Indian beaches across several States and Union Territories in India has received a rare honour from a jury comprising of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) members.

Eight beaches namely Rushikonda from Andhra Pradesh, Shivrajpur (Dwarka-Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Golden (Puri-Odisha) and Radhanagar (A&N Islands) have bagged the prestigious international Blue Flag certification recently.The news has confirmed by the environment ministry, and Prime Minister has lauded the rare feat.“8 of India’s serene beaches get the prestigious Blue Flag Certification.This showcases the importance India attaches to protecting such spots and furthering sustainable development.

Truly a wonderful feat!” excitedly said Modi on his Twitter handle.Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has said the ‘Blue Flag’ certification for eight beaches is also a global recognition of India’s conservation and sustainable development efforts.

He also reiterated that India is the first country in the "Asia-Pacific" region to be honoured with this feat in just about two years.According to Environment Ministry, the jury has also awarded third prize to India under the "International Best Practices" for pollution control in coastal regions.