Bids have been invited to develop Tannirbavi beach in the city to get Blue Flag certification by the Denmark-based non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education or FEE, according to Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K. V. Rajendra.
Speaking at a public consultation meeting on getting the certification to the beach, the Deputy Commissioner said that January 7 will be the last date for submitting the bids. The beach will be developed to one k.m. distance as per the standards fixed.
The certification will help to draw international tourists to the beach and it will be on the global map of clean beaches, he said adding that “it is an ambitious project of Dakshina Kannada administration.”
The Deputy Commissioner said that the local people will have to be taken into confidence before taking up the project.
As it is a Union Government funded project the district administration has little say in changing the scope of the project as per the local needs.
Y.K. Dinesh Kumar, Regional Director, Coastal Regulatory Zone, Mangaluru said that the Union Government will sanction up to ₹8 crore to develop the beach. The State Government gave its approval to develop the beach to get the certification on August 23, 2021. The bidder will have to develop and maintain the beach for 18 months. Later it should be handed over to the beach management committee.
According to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change a ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an eco-tourism model to provide tourists clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities/amenities, safe and healthy environment and sustainable development of the area. The certification is awarded by the Denmark-based agency based on 33 stringent criteria in four major heads that is environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environment management and conservation and safety and services in the beaches. It is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels. It is awarded to beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators.
The Blue Flag beaches have grey water treatment plants, solid waste management plants, disabled-friendly equipment to enable them to enter seawater, seating arrangements, clean drinking water, washroom, changing room, bathing facility, disabled-friendly and general toilets, parking facilities, solar power plant, solar lighting, and the like.
The Kasarakod (Uttara Kannada) and Padubidri (Udupi) beaches in the State got the Blue Flag in 2020.
