Chennai, April 21 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government has stepped up vigil across the border areas after bird flu was reported in Kerala.

An official said that the vigil has been increased in Anaikatti, Gopalapuram and Walayar areas.

"Each checkpost in these areas is manned by 12 police officers. Any vehicle reaching Tamil Nadu is being searched thoroughly," the official said.

Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry officials told IANS that whenever bird flu cases are reported from neighbouring states, the department steps up vigil.

The officials said that veterinary doctors and paramedic team members are also part of search teams at the state borders.

Any vehicle with poultry and animals is not allowed to cross the checkposts.

An official said that the state government is not taking any risk and is sanitising all vehicles from Kerala, entering Tamil Nadu.

He also said there are 1252 poultry farms in the Coimbatore district which borders Kerala. The official said that with such a large number of poultry farms in the district, the department is taking extra caution to prevent any outbreak in the state.

The Kerala Health Department has culled 21,000 ducks in the two panchayats (Edathua and Cheruthuna) in the Alappuzha district and has also culled domestic birds in a one-kilometre radius of these two panchayats.