Great News: The famous Chennai Marina Beach acquires the Blue Flag category!!
Posted on: 23/Jan/2023 2:45:16 PM
Activities had been undertaken to clean the beach stretch from the Marina to Kovalam to get the ‘Blue Flag’ category!
The Chennai Metro City Beach stretches from Ennore (North Chennai) to Kovalam (South Chennai) for a distance of 51.3 km.
Out of this stretch, Marina Beach and Besant Nagar (Elliot’s Beach) are the most visited beaches by the public and visitors to Chennai Metro City!
Polluting the beaches and other issues: Some recent surveys or studies have established that i
In the beach area adjacent to the Chennai Sea Port, a large quantity of sand is seen there, and this has increased in the sandy area in Marina Beach. To counter this, the coastal area in the Thiruvanmiyur section has been expanded.
Further, from the rivers Cooum and Adyar, the effluents and waste material get gathered on the beach making the waves foamy and dirty. This beach is the Lifeline for the fishermen community residing in this area!
It may be noted that in the Chennai Metro City Coastal zone, there are 26 fishermen communities across a stretch of 5.1 km!
Blue Flag Coastal areas: Country Denmark‘s Environmental Education Endowment has conducted a worldwide survey and analysis of the various beaches across the world and accords the selected beaches, a ‘Blue Flag’ category!
As per the ‘Blue Flag’ Standards, the beach, and the surrounding areas should be easily approachable to the Public and should be safe from the environment!
PRESENTLY, THERE ARE 10 BLUE FLAG BEACHES IN INDIA! THE KOVALAM BEACH IN TMAIL NADU STATE HAS ALREADY GOT THIS BLUE FLAG STATUS.
The central Ministry of Environment, forestry and Seasonal Changes has been executing various projects of environmental conditions and beautification and other management services. The Ministry functions and implements various projects to get the ‘Blue Flag’ status for several beaches across the country!
Renovation and modernization of the Chennai Beaches: In this regard, an official of the CMDA (Chennai Metro Development Authority) shared:
“The project of beautifying and the environmental improvement and creating the infrastructure required to bridge the gap presently in Chennai Beach to create a link right from Ennore to Kovalam.
In the first Phase, the renovation of the section between Chennai Marina Beach to Kovalam Beach covering a distance of 31 km of 20 beaches, will be renovated.
A plan costing Rs. 100 Crores has been taken up and the details were released in order by the Chennai Metro Development Authority on 25th July 2022.
These beaches have been divided into 5 zones based on the residents, environment and history.
As some historically important constructions are available on the stretch between the Chennai Marina Beach and Santhome Beech, traditional infrastructure will be devised.
Similarly, the beaches of Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur will be renovated based on the lifestyle of the residents, and their health and the renovation of Neelankarai and Olive Beaches will be taken up for renovation based on the environment. As regards Uthandi Beach, the renovationon will be based on the local Arts and Culture.
Kovalam Beach renovation will focus on water sports.
Further, in the coastal area, pavements for undertaking walks, a path of bicycles, a Sports Centre, a Boating section, a Monitoring Tower, and a research centre for the traditional local plants.
In this regard, 22 departments of the state and central government are members of this renovation project!
With this, the beaches which are scattered with gaps between them will all be linked! Depending on the success of this project, renovation of other beaches in Tamil Nadu State will be taken up!”
