In July 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had identified 13 beaches across the country for the –1--, and announced a list of activities that would be permissible in their respective CRZ zones for that purpose. The new notification issued on January 9 contains a bigger list, and supersedes the previous notification.

The –1--is a certification that can be obtained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label. The certification is awarded by—2--, which sets stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria that applicants must meet and maintain. It is awarded annually to beaches and marinas in—2-- member countries.

The world-renowned certification is known as an indication of high environmental and quality standards. Forty-seven countries currently participate in the program, and 4,573 beaches, marinas, and boats have this certification.

In its July 2019 notification, the Environment Ministry identified the following beaches in India for---1---: Shivrajpur (Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat), Bhogave (Sindhudurg, Maharashtra), Ghoghla (Diu, Daman and Diu), Miramar (Panjim, Goa), Kasarkod (Karwar, Karnataka), Padubidri (Udupi, Karnataka), Kappad (Kozhikode, Kerala), Eden (Puducherry), Mahabalipuram (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu), Rushikonda (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh), Golden (Puri, Odisha), and Radhanagar (Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar.

According to the notification issued in January, the following activities and facilities would be permitted in the CRZ of the beaches, including islands, subject to maintaining a minimum distance of 10 meters from the High Tide Line (HTL):

(a) Portable toilet blocks, change rooms and shower panels;

(b) Grey water treatment plant;

(c) Solid waste management plant;

(d) Solar power plant;

(e) Purified drinking water facility;

(f) Beach access pathways;

(g) Landscaping lighting;

(h) Seating benches and sit-out umbrellas;

(i) Outdoor play / fitness equipment;

(j) CCTV surveillance and control room;

(k) First aid station;

(l) Cloak room facility;

(m) Safety watch towers and beach safety equipment;

(n) Beach layout, environment information boards and other signages;

(o) Fencing, preferably vegetative;

(p) Parking facilities;

(q) Entry gate, tourist facilitation centre; and

(r) Other associated facilities or infrastructure,