Tourism Minister hoists Blue Flag at Rushikonda Beach

Visakhapatnam: The Blue Flag, suspended for a temporary period, was hoisted back at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Following maintenance concerns and related issues, the Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education decided to withdraw the Blue Flag certification for a brief period.

After the suspension of the Blue Flag certification, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the tourism officials to consider revival efforts on a serious note and regain the certification. An action plan was readied to work on improving the beach standards with the coordination of tourism department and district administration officials.

However, with the officials taking serious measures to revive the Blue Flag certification, the flag was hoisted back at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam. Earlier, the officials from Blue Flag India announced lifting of the temporary suspension imposed on Rushikonda Blue Flag Beach.

After hoisting the flag at the stretch on Monday, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said the previous YSRCP government completely neglected the beach stretch and the NDA government decided to revive it by taking corrective measures. He called for public cooperation in order to maintain cleanliness at the beach stretch. “The Blue Flag certification will aid in attracting foreign tourists. Special focus was on as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan are taking steps to continue retaining the Blue Flag certification at Rushikonda for years,” he mentioned.

The Tourism Minister stressed that public participation plays a key role in retaining the Blue Flag status. He underlined that it is important to maintain the beach litter free. Further, he informed that beach shacks with a facility to serve beer and wine were proposed to attract international tourists and the proposal was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister. Soon, the Tourism Minister said, a decision in this regarde will be taken.