On World Environment Day, Odisha’s Chandrabhaga beach achieved the distinction of being Asia’s first beach to get a Blue Flag Certification. The Blue Flag Certification, according to reports, is a tag for environment-friendly and clean beaches that also possess international standard amenities for tourists.
Heartwarming news from Odisha on #WorldEnviromentDay2018. Our very own #ChandrabhagaBeach on the #KonarkCoast becomes the first beach in Asia to get a Blue Flag certification. The certification is awarded to beaches which are clean, environment friendly & plastic free. pic.twitter.com/LoNRl84ZbS
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) June 5, 2018
Arvind Nautiyal, project head for the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), has reportedly informed that for a beach to achieve Blue Flag standards, it has to be clean, plastic-free and equipped with a sustainable waste management system. It should provide tourists with clean drinking water and other amenities to the tourists too. The SICOM is a government body under the Environment Ministry and works for the management of coastal areas. It has 12 more beaches of the country under its ongoing development project to achieve Blue Flag standards.
The Blue Flag standards were reportedly established by Copenhagen based Foundation for Environmental Education in 1985. After Chandrabhaga, 2 beaches in Maharashtra and one beach each from Daman & Diu, Goa, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is being developed by the SICOM for the Blue Flag standards.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik congratulated the Forest Department and other staff involved in the work. IFS officer Susanta Nanda, who is the Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority and Project Director of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZM), which oversaw the cleaning and development of the beach informed on Twitter about the certification, thanking volunteers who participated in cleaning drive.
Chandrabhaga will be the 1st blue flag beach of Odisha. Certification process initiated by ICZM Project. Making it trash free is our 1st step. Beach cleaning today with volunteers. Will continue till 5th. Requesting you all to join and leave ur foot prints in this noble path. pic.twitter.com/4TtsuFU8Yu
— susanta nanda IFS (@susantananda3) June 3, 2018
Chandrabhaga is a scenic beach located near Konark and is a must visit place for tourists visiting the Konark Sun Temple.
