What is International Blue Flag tag that was bestowed on Tamil Nadu’s Kovalam, Puducherry’ Eden beach

In a significant boost to tourism two more beaches from India- Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry- have been certified as International Blue Flag beaches by an international body. The country which has one of the world’s largest coasts on both the Eastern and Western sides already has eight certified International Blue Flag beaches. The certification bestowed by Denmark’s non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education is granted on the basis of standards of sanitation, water quality, safety standards at the beach, cleaning of beach, provision of toilets/restrooms and other factors. The International Blue Flag mark is recognised all over the world and attracts tourists from different countries.

Taking to twitter to share the development, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy wrote that the addition of two more beaches in Tamil Nady and Puducherry will give a thrust to eco-tourism in the country. Describing the development as another feather in India’s green and clean endeavour, Reddy said that the addition of Kovala and Even beach to the list of eight other International Blue FLag beaches will attract a host of tourists to India.

In a similar tweet, Union Minister of Environment Bhupender Yadav wrote on twitter that the country now has 10 International Blue Flag beaches in the country with the addition of Kovalam and Eden and recertification of the existing eight beaches. Yadav said that the development was another milestone in the journey towards a clean and green India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The other eight beaches which had got the International Blue FLag certification in the year 2020 are in other coastal states of the country including Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andaman and Nicobar islands. According to an Indian Express report, the state government of Tamil Nadu had announced special measures in the state budget 2021-22 to work towards getting International Blue Flag certification for about 10 beaches in the state. The Tamil Nadu government has also announced that it would spend 100 crore in the next five years to bring a turnaround at the state beaches.