Chennai,  Tamil Nadu has enforced strict monitoring at its borders with Kerala for people entering the state after the latter recorded 29,836 Covid-19 positive cases, with a positivity rate of 19.67 per cent.

The Tamil Nadu health department officials along with the police are monitoring the borders at Kaliyakkavilai near Nagercoil and in Walayar adjoining Coimbatore district.

The officials and the police are verifying the Covid-19 vaccination certificates or a negative RT-PCR certificate taken within 72 hours of the journey.

Several people from Kerala were sent back at the Walayar border after they failed to present the certificates.

The state government has issued guidelines mandating the travelers from Kerala to present either a two-dose fully vaccinated certificate or a negative RT-PCR certificate taken 72 hours within the journey.

According to officials at the Walayar check post, more than 3000 people reached the border on Sunday alone to enter into the state, out of which several were sent back after failing to provide the mandatory certificates.

After the Onam holidays, a large number of people are returning to Tamil Nadu from Kerala and most of thm have not adhered to the guidelines, officials said.

Rajalakshmi, a software developer from Palakkad who was returning to Coimbatore, her workplace, after the Onam holidays said: "As we had all the mandatory certificates with us, there was no trouble in getting into the state, but we saw several people from Kerala being sent back as they failed to provide the necessary documents. If a state has put such a guideline, we should be equipped with that. So if people don't provide the required certificates, naturally they would be sent back and this was what witnessed at Walayar."

However, the police said that there were no scuffles or issues with the people and those who were not able to produce the certificates went back without much complaining.

Kerala has been recording Covid-19 fresh cases of around 30,000 for the past several days and the number of fatalities per day is also increasing.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister, Ma. Subramanian while speaking to IANS said: "We are safeguarding the people of Tamil Nadu by strict monitoring as mandated in the guidelines prepared by our health experts. There is stringent checking at all borders."