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Abstract
Environmental policies are gaining more importance and sophistication; there is growing demand supported and maintained life on earth since several decades and will continue the same in the days to come. But the subsistence of the environment in future without compromising the environmental degradation, the sustainable development is impossible. Therefore, the judicious utilization of natural resources are inevitable today to safeguard the future generation without which environmental sustainability is a daunting task. Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) constitutes a serious problem in most urbanized cities. MSW includes commercial and residential wastes generated in municipal or notified areas in either solid or semi-solid form excluding industrial hazardous wastes, but including treated bio-medical wastes. The quality and quantity of MSW generated by a particular community will vary according to their socio-economic status, cultural habits, urban structure, population and commercial activities. The total quantity of waste generated by 23 metro cities in India was 30,000 tpd in 1999, which has increased considerably to about 52,000 tpd (Inance et al, 2004). Government bodies at all levels (central, state and municipal) are taking proactive steps to improve the MSW scene in India. The core aim of the research is to assess the economic impact of MSW in Thoothukudi Corporation in general and its environmental implications on human health in particular. Though the city of Thoothukudi is fast growing urban agglomeration but the present condition of environmental degradation is rampant due to various anthropogenic activities.