The public hearing required for expansion of Noamundi iron ore mine of Tata Steel was held at D A V School, Noamundi on September 25, 2004. The panel members consisted of Sri Thakur Saheb Bal Mukund Nath Shahdeo, chairman, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB), Sri O. P. Singh, member, JSPCB, Sri S. K. Singh, senior environmental engineer, JSPCB, Sri Manikant Prasad, regional officer, JSPCB, Sri H. R. Bihari, deputy secretary, mines, Ranchi, Sri B Minz, ADC, West Singhbhum, Sri S. B. Prasad, ACF, Chaibasa, local body representative, Sri Niranjan Bobanga, Manki, Rengalbeda Village, and three senior citizens, Sri Kashi Nath Sharma, Sri Gorakh Nath Yadav and Sri Nesar Ahmad, nominated by deputy commissioner (West Singhbhum). Around 300 people from the nearby villages assembled to attend the public hearing.

The panel members heard the views of the local people. The company’s representatives highlighted the environmental measures taken in and around Noamundi iron ore mine and other aspects of the company’s work place. The general public expressed their happiness over the environmental schemes being undertaken and proposed to be undertaken by the company in the locality.

Noamundi iron ore mine is a fully mechanised mine. It has to its credit, the ISO 140001 Environmental Management System (EMS) certification, Greentech Environment Gold Award from Greentech Foundation, Mines Environment & Mineral Conservation Week Awards. Tata Steel is a pioneer in undertaking rural upliftment schemes and has been spending Rs 35 - 40 lakh per annum around Noamundi iron ore mine for providing drinking water, health and hygiene, irrigation and other peripheral development. The expansion project will bring in additional revenue to the State and Central exchequer and will substantially contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.