The popular Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam has been temporarily stripped of its Blue Flag award due to alleged maintenance and hygiene concerns. In 2020, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a Denmark-based organisation, awarded the coveted Blue Flag award to the 600 m of coastline at Rushikonda. The organisation renewed the Blue Flag recognition for 2024-25 last year.
According to sources, visitors highlighted issues such as the presence of stray dogs, malfunctioning CCTV cameras, accumulating waste, deteriorating toilets and changing rooms, and damaged walkways. Taking stock of the complaints, the organisation temporarily revoked the beach’s Blue Flag award, effective February 13.
Officials say that the Blue Flag recognition is likely to be restored after a safety audit on March 4. According to reports, a lack of coordination between tourism department officials in the state of Andhra Pradesh led to this condition. Non-payment of salaries to private staff for maintaining the beach was cited as a reason.
The district authorities were careful not to let the matter come out till Saturday, March 1. Even the flags were not taken down. The cancellation of the Blue Flag recognition came to light after the news went viral on social media.
Following the suspension of the certification on February 13, the government initiated immediate administrative changes. District Tourism Officer (DTO) K Gnanaveni and Regional Director (RD) K Ramana were relieved of their duties due to internal disputes that hampered tourism promotion efforts.
In a high-level meeting convened by Visakhapatnam Collector M N Harendhira Prasad on February 17, key departments were instructed to implement corrective measures. The government has emphasised strict accountability and reinforced its commitment to sustainable tourism.
V B Jagadeesh Gedela, Divisional Manager, Visakhapatnam, has been appointed as the new Regional Director (APTA) and Executive Director (APTDC), Visakhapatnam Hub. G Dasu, formerly manager of Tourism Vizianagaram, has been given additional charge as DTO/Tourist Information Officer, Visakhapatnam.
Authorities have implemented strict measures to prevent similar issues in the future and ensure smooth coordination between departments to enhance tourism standards. The Police Department was tasked with easing traffic congestion and strengthening security. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) was instructed to address sanitation concerns and control the stray dog population, while the Tourism Department was ordered to arrange alternative parking spaces.
The Blue Flag programme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in Denmark, awards beaches, marinas, and boat operators globally with a Blue Flag designation if they meet environmental, educational, safety-related, and access-related criteria.
In India, 10 beaches were awarded the Blue Flag before the 2024 monsoon season by the Society for Sustainable Urban Development (SSUD). These included Ghoghla Beach in Diu, the Eco Beach of Kasarkoda in Karnataka, Kappad Beach in Kerala, and Radhanagar Beach on Swaraj Island.
There are many well-maintained and clean "Blue Flag" beaches in India that also protect the biodiversity of the area. Basis data available on the FEE official website, 12 beaches have been awarded this tag as of July 2024. This includes:
Golden Beach, Puri, Odisha
Kasarkod Beach, Karnataka
Shivrajpur Beach, Dwarka, Gujarat
Kappad Beach, Kozhikode, Kerala
Radhanagar Beach, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Ghoghla Beach, Diu
Padubidri Beach, Udupi, Karnataka
Kovalam Beach, Tamil Nadu
Eden Beach, Puducherry
Minicoy Thundi Beach, Lakshadweep
Kadmat Beach, Lakshadweep
Rushikonda Beach, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh*
*the latest developments regarding the Blue Flag award of Rushikonda beach have not been updated on the FEE website at the time of publishing.
(with inputs from multiple reports)