The land purchased by Nepal Oil Corporation on the banks of Rohini River in Bhairahawa of Rupandehi district to build a fuel storage facility has been inundated due to torrential rains.

Locals have criticised the NOC for buying land plots in the area prone to inundation during monsoon. The state-owned oil monopoly on July 12 purchased 14 bighas of land at a cost of Rs320 million in the district.

“When I reached the riverbank, I could not tell the land from the river,” said Rupandehi Chief District Officer Prakash Singh.

The NOC has been charged with misappropriating funds amounting to Rs800 million while buying property at a total cost of Rs1.61 billion in four places: Bhairahawa, Chitwan, Sarlahi and Jhapa.

The NOC had initially planned to build storage facilities in the seven provinces, following the government’s instruction to it to maintain stock for at least 90 days.

The corporation has been accused of purchasing land at inflated rates. It has been charged with funds embezzlement totalling Rs568 million while procuring the land in Chitwan and Jhapa districts. In the land deals in Bhairahawa and Sarlahi districts, it faces the charge of misappropriating Rs150 million and Rs80 million respectively.