Kadmat beach
New Delhi: Two more Indian beaches today entered the coveted list of Blue Flag beaches taking the number of such beaches to 12. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, today made the announcement to this effect. He said this was yet another recognition of India’s commitment to protecting and conserving the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through holistic management of the resources.
Blue Flag beaches are an eco-label given to the cleanest beaches in the world and the latest to be accorded the coveted International eco-label “Blue Flag,” are Minicoy Thundi beach and Kadmat beach, both in Lakshadweep. The mission of Blue Flag is to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.
The Thundi beach is one of the most pristine and picturesque beaches in the Lakshadweep archipelago where white sand is lined by the turquoise-blue water of the lagoon. It is a paradise for swimmers and tourists alike.
The Kadmat beach (Top photo) is especially popular with cruise tourists who visit the island for water sports. It is a paradise for nature lovers with its pearl white sand, blue lagoon waters, its moderate climate and friendly locals.
Both beaches have designated staff for beach cleanliness and maintenance, and for the safety and security of swimmers. Both beaches comply with all the 33 criteria as mandated by the Denmark-headquartered Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), which offers the globally recognized eco-label – Blue Flag certification.
The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha, Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches. In order to qualify for this prestigious award, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria must be met and maintained.
– global bihari bureau
