BHUBANESWAR: The State Government today constituted a coastal engineering cell to monitor the massive erosion taking place along the Orissa coast and suggest measures to protect the coast in consulation with expert groups. The issue was discussed at an offical-level meeting today chaired by Development Commissioner RN Bohidar and it was decided that the coastal engineering cell will be headed by a superintending engineer. The meeting deliberated on the reports submitted by IIT, Madras, and National Institute of Oceaonography (NIO), Goa, on the coastal erosion of the State and the measures suggested to prevent the natural calamity. While NIO has studied the sea erosion problem of 107 km out of 476 km coastline of the State, the Madras IIT submitted a report on the sea erosion taking place along the Gopalpur sea beach. Meanwhile, the Government has submitted a proposal of Rs 140 crore to the 13th Finance Commission for protection of coast.