Blue Flag beaches
Topic: India's International Trade and Tourism · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Blue Flag is an eco-label (a mark of environmental quality) given to beaches. It is awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) of Denmark. A beach gets it only if it meets strict rules on water quality, safety and environmental care. The label helps tourism, and it pushes beaches to stay clean and safe. India has 13 Blue Flag beaches (verify current).
Example
Shivrajpur beach near Dwarka in Gujarat and Radhanagar beach on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) in the Andaman Islands both hold the Blue Flag.
Don't confuse with
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: these are listed by UNESCO for outstanding cultural or natural value. A Blue Flag is given by FEE and only rates a beach's cleanliness, safety and environmental care.