Durgapur, Oct. 9: The Durgapur administration has decided to put up hoardings asking people not to go deep into the Damodar river for bathing because of the presence of quicksand that can't be detected until one steps on it.

The decision comes after 10 students drowned in the Damodar near the Durgapur Barrage since September last year.

"Many of those who drowned were students of local schools or colleges. So, we have decided to hold awareness programmes. We will ask the students not to take bath or catch fish near the barrage as there are risks involved," said Sankha Santra, the subdivisional officer of Durgapur.

Residents said the stretch of the Damodar river near the barrage had become an almost death trap because of quicksand patches on the river bed.

Quicksand is loose wet sand that yields easily to pressure and sucks in anything resting on or falling into it.