Why Did Rushikonda Beach Lose Its Blue Flag Status?

Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam, once a holder of the prestigious Blue Flag certification, has recently lost this international recognition due to lapses in maintenance. The certification, awarded by the Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), was revoked temporarily on 13 February 2025, after complaints highlighted the beach’s failure to uphold the strict environmental and safety standards required to retain the status.

What Led to the Revocation?

Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam first earned the Blue Flag status in 2020, signifying its compliance with 33 key criteria, including cleanliness, water quality, waste management, safety, and infrastructure. However, the recent decision to revoke this certification stemmed from reported shortcomings in these very areas.

The FEE received complaints—backed by photographic evidence—raising concerns about:

• Litter and inadequate waste management
• Stray dog menace affecting visitors’ safety
• Non-functional CCTV cameras
• Poorly maintained public facilities, such as toilets and changing rooms
• Parking and security issues

Following these complaints, the FEE temporarily withdrew the Blue Flag status and instructed local authorities to remove the flags signifying the certification.

Efforts to Regain Certification

Rushikonda Beach had last undergone a compliance review on June 29, 2024, following which necessary improvements were made, securing its certification for the 2024-25 period in October. However, despite these efforts, continued maintenance failures led to a warning notice from Blue Flag India on 13 February. Authorities were given 10 days to rectify the issues.

Recognizing the urgency, a high-level meeting was held on 17 February, where the District Collector assigned various responsibilities to local departments:

• Tourism Department: Improve infrastructure and tourist amenities
• Police Department: Strengthen security and traffic management
• Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC): Address sanitation and stray animal issues
• Parking Management: Develop alternative parking solutions

Officials claim that most corrective measures have now been implemented. A compliance report will be submitted after an audit scheduled for March 4 by a team from Pune.

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