The only two Blue Flag certified beaches in the State, one at Kasarakod in Uttara Kannada and another at Padubidri in Udupi district, which borne the brunt of cyclone Tauktae with their infrastructure getting damaged are being restored now.
According to official estimates, Padubidri beach suffered a damage of ₹25.85 lakh and Kasarakod beach, near Honnavar, ₹36,000.
Udupi Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha told The Hindu on Thursday that he visited the Padubidri beach on Wednesday (May 19). The restoration works have begun. “We have completed 50 % of them. The remaining will be over in another seven days.”
Somashekara B.K., Assistant Director of Tourism, Udupi said that 10 LED light poles with foundation, eight stainless steel bins with foundation, parking area, garden, electrical underground cable, and pipelines have been damaged at Padubidri.
The damaged protection wall near the parking area and pitching to parking area are being restored to an extent of 150 metres and 300 metres respectively. The parking area will have to be repaired/restored up to 300 metres. An extent of 360 sq. m of garden area will also have to be restored. The electrical underground cable and pipelines will have to be re-installed to an extent of 300 metres each.
Purushottam S., Deputy Director, Tourism, Uttara Kannada, said that two electrical poles, a CCTV camera, pathway, a signage board, a water fit machine and dustbins have been damaged. “The restoration works will be over by Thursday (May 20) night,” he said.
The two beaches were among eight in the country which bagged the coveted eco-label ‘Blue Flag’ from the international agency Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark, last year.
According to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change which had embarked upon a programme for ‘Blue Flag’ certification for select beaches in the country, 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 - environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environment management and conservation, and safety and services in the beaches.
