The Punjab Government on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) to undertake collaborative programs in the areas of environmental health, road and food safety besides nutrition and preventive health among others. The MoU was signed by Principal Secretary Environment and Climate Change Department, Punjab Rakesh Verma and President, Public Health Foundation of India Dr K S Reddy at PHFI Headquarter in Delhi. Giving details regarding the MoU Rakesh Verma said that PHFI would provide technical support and hand holding to the state government in the specific fields identified by both agencies. He pointed out that PHFI would assist the state in carrying out epidemiological studies for identifying public health challenges to establish correlation with environmental factors. The State and PHFI will also explore the ways for cost effective technological solutions/equipments to address concerns related to environmental pollution, analyse and interpret data besides partnering in holding Innovation Summits/Conclaves on environmental health.Briefing the other areas in which the Environment Department and PHFI will proceed together, Rakesh Verma said that the capacity building, training & awareness of health and allied professionals would also be a key area. He said that a collaborative robust programme would also be conducted for Planning, implementation, and monitoring of environmental health related activities besides developing projects fundable by the national and international agencies on the identified thematic areas under ‘Mission Tandrust’ as well as sharing of knowledge and technology between the parties.