Rapid urbanization and alteration in lifestyle occurring across the globe has resulted in an un-controlled generation of municipal solid waste. Various strategies have been tried and tested for obtaining a sustainable result in municipal solid waste management. Nonetheless, in most of the cases, they have created negative health, environment and socio-economic impacts, particularly in developing countries. Furthermore, the attitude of the common people towards the waste they generate, often acts as a barrier for adopting sustainable strategies for its management. Two main approaches are being followed in municipal solid waste management: a centralized and a decentralized approach. There exists an ongoing debate with regard to the efficiency of the two approaches. Taking the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in Kerala, India as a case to observe, this paper examines the merits, demerits, and practicability of these two approaches, and tries to suggest a sustainable model to curb the issue of municipal solid waste management in urban settings.

Waste has always been a part of human life settlement and we have been either very careless with our waste by discarding it into the streets, the air, water, and in our backyards, or consciously dumping it close to those least powerful segments of the society at all times. Waste has been a problem for human beings and people have been least concerned about its eco-friendly disposal. Developed countries came up with many programmes, regulations and policies to address the municipal solid waste crisis, but still it is an unresolved problem. Municipal solid waste management is still a complex issue everywhere in the globalized and techno scientific world due to the carefree mindset, rapid urbanization process, unscientific development process and lack of social responsibility. In these circumstances, municipal solid waste managementcannot be addressed by mere technological innovations or adoptions. Moreover, the responsibility of municipal solid waste managementcannot be left to the Government alone. Instead, participation of various stakeholders needs to be ensured and coordinated for achieving sustainability. Taking Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in the state of Kerala, India as a case, this paper discusses the extent and ways in which various stakeholders engage in the two main approaches for municipal solid waste management, namely- centralized approach and decentralized approach. The research study was conducted during the period June, 2020 to December, 2020.