Terms and Conditions for the Use of Earth Notes
1. Scope
These Terms and Conditions apply to all visitors, readers, contributors, authors, and individuals who interact with Earth Notes. They govern website use, article submissions, publication rights, user conduct, editorial decisions, and related responsibilities.
2. Acceptance of Terms
Earth Notes is an environmental blog platform operated by EPCCD, Government of the Punjab. By using the website, submitting an article, posting a comment or any of the engagement with the Earth Notes, you agree to these Terms and Conditions and the applicable Privacy Policy.
3. Website Use and Acceptable Conduct
Users must use Earth Notes lawfully and responsibly. The submission or publication of unlawful, defamatory, misleading, abusive or infringing material, impersonation, harassment, unauthorised access and interference in any other action with website operations are prohibited. Users must not share another person's private information without proper authorisation.
EPCCD reserves the right to restrict access or take appropriate action against misuse, subject to applicable law.
4. Article Submission Requirements
Contributors must submit original, relevant and accurate content supported by reliable sources. They are responsible for verifying facts, acknowledging references and obtaining necessary permissions for third-party text, photographs, graphics, data and other materials. Plagiarism, fabricated information, unlawful content and unauthorised personal information are prohibited. Artificial intelligence should not be used in article submissions.
EPCCD may request supporting evidence, clarification or revisions before considering an article. Submission does not guarantee publication, payment or continued availability.
5. Editorial Authority
EPCCD retains full editorial control over Earth Notes. It may accept, reject, edit, revise, postpone, publish, update, archive or remove content where considered necessary for editorial standards, accuracy, public interest or compliance with applicable law. Publication does not mean that EPCCD independently verifies or endorses every statement made by a contributor.
6. Copyright and Publication Rights
Contributors retain ownership of their original work but, by submitting it, grant EPCCD a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to edit, reproduce, translate, publish, distribute, archive and promote the material through Earth Notes and other departmental communications.
Contributors confirm that they have the necessary rights to grant this permission. They remain responsible for obtaining authorisation for third-party material. Earth Notes branding, logos and departmental materials must not be reproduced or commercially used without authorisation, except where permitted by law.
7. Comments and Interactive Features
Comments must be relevant, respectful and lawful. Spam, harassment, threats, defamatory statements and content that violates another person's rights are prohibited. EPCCD and authorised administrators may review, moderate, hide or remove comments and restrict access to interactive features where necessary. Users remain responsible for their comments and the material they share.
8. Contributor Responsibility and Indemnity
Contributors are responsible for the accuracy, originality, legality and permissions associated with their submissions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, contributors agree to indemnify and hold harmless EPCCD, the Government of the Punjab and their authorised personnel against third-party claims, losses, damages and reasonable legal expenses arising from their unlawful submissions, infringement of rights or breach of these terms, to the extent legally enforceable.
9. Limitation of Liability
EPCCD does not guarantee uninterrupted access, error-free operation or the continued availability of content. To the extent permitted by law, the department shall not be liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from third-party conduct, external services or technical interruptions beyond its reasonable control.
Contributors' opinions do not necessarily represent the official position of EPCCD or the Government of the Punjab. Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
10. External Links
Earth Notes may link to external websites and resources. These operate independently, and EPCCD does not control or guarantee their content, accuracy, availability or security. Users access them at their own discretion.
11. Enforcement and Amendments
EPCCD may remove content, restrict features, or suspend access in response to violations, subject to applicable law. These Terms and Conditions may be updated, when necessary, with revisions published on the website.
12. Contact and Complaints
Questions or complaints concerning these Terms and Conditions may be submitted to the Earth Notes Editorial Desk through the Contact Us section.
By using Earth Notes or submitting content, you acknowledge these Terms and Conditions and agree to comply with the provisions applicable to your use.