Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environment Education (FEE) suspends Rushikonda Beach’s Blue Flag certification over sanitation and traffic issues; authorities act swiftly to regain the tag
Only a few visitors at the Rushikonda Beach while the Blue flags was temporarily withdrawn in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. (Photo: K Murali Krishna)
Visakhapatnam: Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environment Education (FEE) has suspended the Blue Flag certification for Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam. As a result, the blue flags have been removed from the beach.
District tourism officer K. Gnanaveni told this correspondent that a beach reveller had on February 13 sent an email to the FEE about the inadequacies on the beach, including movement of stray dogs, lack of sanitation and defunct washrooms.
Visakhapatnam district collector M.N. Harindher Prasad confirmed that the Foundation for Environment Education has suspended the certification temporarily.
“Basically they raised issues of traffic management, congested shops and lack of parking facilities. We convened a beach committee meeting and immediately acted upon the matter, opening a new road to the beach and creating a new parking area,” the collector explained.
He said they have submitted an interim report to the FEE. “Within a few days, we must be getting back the Blue Flag. We are in continuous touch with them,” the collector stated.
AP Travels and Tours Association K. Vijay Mohan said losing the Blue Flag tag is a major setback for global beach tourism. “Normally, across the globe, travellers search for Blue Flag-tagged beaches. Suspension is a temporary setback for Rushikonda,”’ Vijay Mohan stated.
The Denmark-based Foundation had granted this certification to Rushikonda Beach in 2020. It designated a 600-metre stretch of the beach as a Blue Flag site. The criteria are environmental, educational, access and safety-related. There are a total of 33 conditions to be met.
AP government spent ₹9 crore for development of the beach from 2018 to 2020 to win the tag. Until last year, a designated agency had been responsible for maintaining the beach. However, after its management’s contract ended, the agency withdrew its operations.
Jana Sena leader and GVMC corporator P.L.N. Murthy Yadav blamed the local AP Tourism Development Corporation.
Talking to media in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, he said the previous government had appointed a contractor for beach maintenance for an annual contract of ₹11 lakh, while the cost should not be more than ₹4 lakh.
“Yet the officials have been unable to maintain the Blue Flag standards,” he underlined.
There are 13 beaches in the country which have a Blue Flag certification. Konark beach in Odisha is the first beach in Asia to get the tag.
District tourism officer K. Gnanaveni told this correspondent that a beach reveller had on February 13 sent an email to the FEE about the inadequacies on the beach, including movement of stray dogs, lack of sanitation and defunct washrooms.
Visakhapatnam district collector M.N. Harindher Prasad confirmed that the Foundation for Environment Education has suspended the certification temporarily.
“Basically they raised issues of traffic management, congested shops and lack of parking facilities. We convened a beach committee meeting and immediately acted upon the matter, opening a new road to the beach and creating a new parking area,” the collector explained.
He said they have submitted an interim report to the FEE. “Within a few days, we must be getting back the Blue Flag. We are in continuous touch with them,” the collector stated.
AP Travels and Tours Association K. Vijay Mohan said losing the Blue Flag tag is a major setback for global beach tourism. “Normally, across the globe, travellers search for Blue Flag-tagged beaches. Suspension is a temporary setback for Rushikonda,”’ Vijay Mohan stated.
The Denmark-based Foundation had granted this certification to Rushikonda Beach in 2020. It designated a 600-metre stretch of the beach as a Blue Flag site. The criteria are environmental, educational, access and safety-related. There are a total of 33 conditions to be met.
AP government spent ₹9 crore for development of the beach from 2018 to 2020 to win the tag. Until last year, a designated agency had been responsible for maintaining the beach. However, after its management’s contract ended, the agency withdrew its operations.
Jana Sena leader and GVMC corporator P.L.N. Murthy Yadav blamed the local AP Tourism Development Corporation.
Talking to media in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, he said the previous government had appointed a contractor for beach maintenance for an annual contract of ₹11 lakh, while the cost should not be more than ₹4 lakh.
“Yet the officials have been unable to maintain the Blue Flag standards,” he underlined.
There are 13 beaches in the country which have a Blue Flag certification. Konark beach in Odisha is the first beach in Asia to get the tag.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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