In A First, 8 Indian Beaches Get Recommended For 'Blue Flag' International Eco-Label; Check List

Blue Flag label is sought by beaches across the globe as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards.

Kappad or Kappakadavu is famous beach near Kozhikode, Calicut, India./ Getty Images

New Delhi: In a first, 8 beaches of India have been recommended for the coveted 'Blue Flag' International eco-label by an independent national jury composed of eminent environmentalists & scientists, the Ministry of Environment announced on Friday. What are Blue Flag beaches? Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world, Ministry of Environment has said. Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained. It is sought as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards. Spain has held the 1st position for nearly three decades since the awards began in 1987. As a result of the 2015 awards, a total of 4,154 Blue Flags are waving around the world List of 8 Indian beaches recommended Blue Flag label : The eight beaches to get recommended for Blue Flag label are:

• Shivrajpur in Gujarat
• Ghoghla in Daman And Diu
• Kasarkod and Padubidri beach in Karnataka
• Kappad in Kerala
• Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh
• Golden beach of Odisha
• Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar