Barmer, Jan. 1 -- Barmer district collector Tina Dabi has dismissed allegations questioning the authenticity of data and photographs she had submitted for the national award presented to her for water conservation by President Droupadi Murmu on November 18, 2025 A controversy has erupted after some social media users and political leaders alleged that Dabi had inflated figures and reused identical photographs to depict different water conservation works in her application for the award, given under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) programme. Screenshots purportedly showing duplicated images were widely shared, casting doubt on the claim that over 79,000 water conservation structures were constructed through public participation in Barmer. HT, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the pictures. Independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati questioned the credibility of the data used for securing the prestigious national award, alleging discrepancies in the documentation. Besides, Barmer MP Ummedaram Beniwal also raised the matter in Parliament, seeking a clarification from the Union jal shakti ministry on the evaluation process and the basis on which the award was granted. In a press conference on Tuesday, Dabi categorically rejected claims of manipulation and called social media narratives "misleading and baseless". She claimed that the award was conferred strictly on the basis of verified data uploaded on the JSJB portal at block and district levels, and that all submissions had undergone due verification. Dabi clarified that the controversy stemmed from the incorrect linking of two separate government programmes. She explained that the photographs being circulated online were taken from the Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the Rain (JSA-CTR) portal, while the Presidential award was based exclusively on data submitted under the JSJB programme. She stressed that both initiatives have distinct objectives, separate portals, and independent evaluation mechanisms. During a preliminary review, the district administration found that in Dhorimanna, Chohatan and Barmer Rural blocks some officials had mistakenly uploaded the same photograph for different works on the Catch the Rain portal. Dabi said the administration has initiated verification of these uploads and assured that any confirmed errors would be rectified immediately. She said strict action would be taken against officials or employees found responsible. The Union Jal Shakti Ministry, in a written reply in Parliament, maintained that the award was granted strictly as per prescribed guidelines and based on verified data available on the JSJB portal. The ministry rejected claims of irregularities and reiterated that the programme and its portal were separate from other water conservation initiatives....