Terms & Conditions

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Apada Sahayak mobile application and website (collectively, the "App"), operated by Climate-B Ventures and project team partners ("we", "us", or "our"). By downloading, installing, or using the App, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

1. Purpose and Disclaimer

Apada Sahayak is a community-driven disaster risk reduction information platform designed to help individuals and communities in mountain regions stay informed about natural hazards. It is not a substitute for official emergency services or government disaster management warnings.

2. User Responsibilities

By using Apada Sahayak, you agree to:

We reserve the right to remove content and suspend or terminate accounts that violate these responsibilities, without prior notice.

3. Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials (phone number, OTP, or Google account). You must notify us immediately at support@apadasahayak.com if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account or security breach. We are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from your failure to keep your credentials secure.

4. Intellectual Property

All content, design, software, branding, and materials in Apada Sahayak — including the logo, name, and code — are the shared intellectual property of Climate-B Ventures and the project team partners (i.e., University of Cumbria, University of Gloucestershire, University of Delhi, Caritas India and the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment) unless otherwise stated. Community-submitted reports remain the responsibility of the individual who submitted them. The abridged HiFlo-DAT historical flood data reported in Apada Sahayak are the intellectual property of the original authorship team, and the full unabridged parent data are separately licensed under CC BY 4.0.

You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit any part of the App without prior written consent from Climate-B Ventures and the project team partners.

5. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Climate-B Ventures and project team partners shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of — or inability to use — the App. This includes, but is not limited to, damages arising from reliance on community-generated hazard event information, failure of push notifications to be delivered, or interruption of App services.

6. Third-Party Links and Services

The App may contain links to or integrations with third-party services (such as Google Maps, NDMA resources, and government portals). We do not control these services and are not responsible for their content, availability, or privacy practices.

7. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and applicable Indian data protection legislation. Any disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts in India.

8. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes via the App. Continued use of the App after updated Terms are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

9. Contact