Padubidri beach bags Blue Flag certification

Padubidri beach, one of the beautiful beaches in the district, has bagged Blue Flag certification.

A gazette notification issued by the central government had given green signal for implementing all required facilities in the area under the Blue Flag programme.

The certification is granted to Padubidri beach confirming to safety, access, stringent environmental, management and water quality standards.

Once the projects are completed, the beach is expected to attract large number of tourists due to good quality infrastructure facilities. Amenities like water sports, first-aid and life guards will be introduced. Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had also asked the government to develop the beach into a model site.

Sources in district administration recollected that the Copenhagen-headquartered Foundation for Environment Education (FEE) had set four key parameters and 33 criteria for beaches to be accredited under the Blue Flag programme.

Launched in Paris in 1985, the Blue Flag programme was implemented in Europe since 1987 and in areas outside Europe since 2001.

Asia remained untouched by the concept until December 2017 when a pilot project was launched to develop Indian beaches.

‘64% work completed’

Udupi district Tourism Deputy Director Chandrashekar Naik told DH that 64% of the total works identified under the programme had been completed in the beach.

“Once the monsoon recedes, remaining work will be taken up. The beach will have proper waste disposal system and access to clean drinking water for tourists. Besides environment friendly activities, there will be functional toilets with rooms to change. As the 10-metre area comes under CRZ zone, central government had approved the plan,” Naik said.

The rules and regulations will be very strict and no unauthorised camping or dumping will be allowed on the beach. Besides solar panels, stretches with interlocks, clean drinking water units, CCTV cameras and a watch tower, the children park and bamboo benches are some of the proposed attractions.

Information about Blue Flag beach do’s and don’t list will be displayed on the beach.

“An amount of Rs eight crore was released by the central government,” he said and added that the work is being implemented under the supervision of Karnataka Rural infrastructural Development Limited (KRIDL).

As huge waves lash the shore, a need for gabion wall to provide protection to the infrastructural facilities
implemented under the Blue flag project had been proposed.

“The proposal is under consideration,” Naik said and added that he would discuss the issue with deputy commissioner soon.