Padubidri beach gets ‘Blue Flag Certificate’ from Centre
Udupi, August 01: The Ministry of Environment and Forest of the Central government has officially declared ‘Blue Flag Certificate’ recognition to the Padubidri beach in the district.
In a statement, deputy commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis and Tourism department assistant director Anitha Bhaskar said that under this programme, it was planned to develop beaches with clean environment and quality water in 13 states which have sea shores, in association with the Society for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), Ministry of Environment and Forest, Beach Management Services (BMS). The clean sea shore would decide the healthy tourism and better economic index, they said.
In view of this, the central government has decided to bring sustainable tourism and healthy coastal sea shores under Blue Flag Certificate programme and implement international standard projects, it is said.
Boost for sustainable tourism
The main objective of the Beach Management Services is to encourage the sustainable tourism at Padubidri beach by managing the cleanliness, environmental education and creating awareness to local people, improving quality of water, safety measures, maintenance of security system and sea shore. Along with these factors, priority would also be given to bio-diversity, environment protection, effective solid waste management, basic infrastructure and introducing local food culture and lifestyle to the tourists under this programme, they said.
Sustainable tourism would be encouraged by giving environmental education to the local people, training, campaigning on home stays and others. The programme is being implemented with the help of the district administration, tourism department and local stakeholders. By 2018, it was planned to develop the beach as a quality beach with the help of Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) of Denmark and people could plan for their holidays.
As per the estimation, Blue Flag Certificate beaches would have annual turnover of over Rs 100 crore. So, it would help the Padubidri beach to make its presence in the international level and attract tourists, they said.
Padubidri beach end point
With the help of this international level project, within 500 mts radius of Padubidri beach endpoint, bio toilets, cloth changing rooms, bath rooms, name boards, jogging track, outdoor gym and children’s play area could be developed. To avoid the usage of plastic water bottle, pure drinking water units, solid waste processing and reuse, dust bins, seating arrangements, wheel chair facility for physically disabled, solar power usage, umbrellas, chairs, CCTV vigilance for round-the-clock, watching tower would be provided. All these works would be taken up at a cost of Rs 8 crore and A to Z Infra Services Private Limited of Gurugrama, selected by the central government, would develop the infrastructure. Along with the basic infrastructure development, the company would take care of the maintenance of the beach for next two years, they said.
Blue Flag recognition
As the Padubidri beach has got the Blue Flag recognition, international tourists would visit the beach. Former minister Pramod Madhwaraj had tried to get this recognition for Padukere beach near Malpe.
Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) would give Blue Flag recognition for international standard beaches. More than 60 countries including Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America and others have got the membership of FEE. Such beaches are the favourite spots for foreign tourists.
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Death toll from Israeli strikes in northeast Lebanon rises from 8 to 24, Lebanese news agency says
Deir al-Balah, Nov 1: Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed at least 24 people in northeastern Lebanon, the country's news agency said, raising the death toll from eight there.
It was the latest deadly toll in the area since the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah escalated last month.
Israel's military has said that its operation in Lebanon is targeting Hezbollah's military infrastructure.
Lebanon's state National news Agency reported four airstrikes in different villages across country's northeast, saying rescuers were still searching for survivors in Younine, a town in the Bekaa Valley, from the rubble of a targeted house.
Hussein Haj Hassan, a Lebanese lawmaker representing the region in Baalbek-Hermel region, said that 60,000 people have already fled their homes in the area due to Israeli bombardment.
