Rushikonda Beach temporarily loses coveted Blue Flag status over poor maintenance

Visakhapatnam: Named among the most famous beaches in the country, Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam temporarily loses its prestigious Blue Flag status due to poor maintenance. This is the only beach in the State which was given the Blue Flag status. On Sunday, the officials removed the flags from the premises.

There will be “temporary withdrawal of Blue Flag and request for appropriate corrective actions at Rushikonda Beach and recommending to take the measures in 10 days.

Based on the suggestions, the BMC meeting was convened on February 17, 2025 and all the concerned stakeholders were instructed to take immediate action.

A statement has been issued saying that it is wrong to state that the Blue Flag Certification has been cancelled. There is only a temporary withdrawal of blue flag status primarily due to crowd management and traffic issues. The blue flag is likely to be restored soon after completion of the safety audit ( RLSS) scheduled on March 4.

Blue Flag in 2020:

There are 12 Blue Flag -certified beaches in India. In 2020, Rushikonda Beach was conferred the coveted eco-label ‘Blue Flag’. The ‘Blue Flag’ certification is given by the Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Rushikonda Beach was the only beach in the State which was selected by the Union government for development to match international standards, under the BEAMS (Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services) project.

What are guidelines for awarding the Blue Flag?

A 600-metre stretch was recognised and given the Blue Flag status. However, the team in charge and the visitors failed to maintain it as per the standards. The decision comes after a complaint was filed to the FEE officials.

The basic criteria for getting the certification are safety/security, pollution-free, good bathing water quality and environmental education of beach users. Rushikonda Beach had successfully met 33 criteria, including paramount aspects such as environmental education and management, safety and security measures and water quality.

However, for the past few months, there have been issues such as stray dogs on the beach premises, non-functional CCTV cameras, no proper waste management and poor maintenance of public toilets and bathing areas.

Beach maintenance was given to private players

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) which used to take care of the beach handed over the beach maintenance contract to private parties two years ago. However, they failed to maintain the beach as per standards. The contract of the private party ended in November 2024.

Many activities but no maintenance

Rushikonda Beach, which draws many tourists every day, especially during vacation time, has many activities, including kayaking, boat rides, scuba diving and paragliding. However, for the past few months, the beach has lacked proper maintenance, and plastic waste is everywhere. Scuba divers of Platypus Escapes—a scuba diving school in Rushikonda— have been regularly taking up cleaning campaigns, clearing tons of waste from the ocean.

No plastic zone, but litter persists

In January 2025, Rushikonda Beach was officially declared a ‘No Plastic Zone’ by the district collector in a decisive move to protect the region’s natural beauty and marine ecosystem. Vendors and tourists have been prohibited from using or carrying plastic items, including bags, bottles and straws, on the beach. Alternatively, the administration has asked for the use of biodegradable and reusable.

Officials asked to review performance:

1. Regional Director Tourism In-charge has been instructed to review performance of the contract employees daily, and improve the infrastructure.

2. Police authorities including traffic and marine police have been instructed to take immediate traffic control measures and security measures in the beach.

3. The CMOH, GVMC was instructed to keep strict vigil over the stray dog menace and sanitation measures regularly; EE, Tourism, to identify and make alternative parking arrangements.

Report to be submitted:

According to sources, A compliance report will be submitted after the visit of the audit team from Pune on March 4, 2025 to Blue Flag India to immediately restore the temporary suspension.

According to the officials, all efforts are being made to improve the traffic situation through creation of additional parking area, improvement of safety through deployment of additional Marine and Law & order police, installation of CCTVs & improved lighting. The dog menace and the food waste management are being tackled through the GVMC authorities.