Two more beaches in India have been awarded ‘Blue Flag’ certification, an international eco-level tag, taking the total number of such beaches in the country to 10, the Environment Ministry said.

The two beaches to receive the certification this year are Kovalam in Kerala and Eden in Puducherry, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in its pursuit of “Sustainable Development” of the coastal regions of India embarked upon a highly acclaimed and flagship program Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) which is one of the initiatives under the Integrated coastal zone management approach that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has undertaken for the sustainable development of coastal regions of India, with a prime objective to protect and conserve the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through holistic management of the resources.

This was aimed at achieving the globally recognized and coveted International eco-label “Blue Flag”, accorded by the International Jury comprising of members from IUCN, UNWTO, UNEP and UNESCO. FEE Denmark conducts regular monitoring and audits for strict compliance with the 33 criteria at all times. A waving “Blue Flag” is an indication of 100 per cent compliance to 33 stringent criteria and sound health of the beach.