Thaindian News

Mumbai, June 9 (IANS) An environmentalist working to save the common house sparrows has entered the Limca Book of Records while a project coordinated by him, Save Our Sparrows (SOS), has been accorded the honour in the Guinness World Records.

Mohammed Dilawar, the Nashik-based environmentalist, had launched an international crusade to save the humble sparrows.

“Our SOS project, implemented worldwide in collaboration with Mumbai’s Burhani Foundation, has been recognised by the Guinness World Records,” an excited Dilawar told IANS here Thursday.

The SOS project was carried out by Burhani Foundation four months ago to mark the World Sparrow Day March 20 and the 100th birthday (celebrated March 25) of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Dilawar said.

To mark the momentous occasion, the Burhani Foundation distributed 52,000 bird-feeders around the world.

The bird-feeders were handed over to individuals, NGOs and environmental organisations for the cause of the house sparrow, currently facing a major threat from human developmental activities.

“These activities have been recognised by the Guinness and Limca and will serve as a major boost to the campaign to save our sparrows,” Dilawar said.

The Guinness citation says: “The largest distribution of bird-feeders was undertaken by Burhani Foundation (India) to celebrate His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s (Spiritual head of Dawoodi Bohra community) centenary birth celebrations.”

Similarly, the Limca citation reads: “As the world celebrated World Sparrow Day, Indian Postal Department released a stamp of the house sparrow along with the rock pigeon on March 20, 2010. Nashik-based Mohammed Dilawar, who initiated the movement in India, was in the forefront of the activities in Delhi.”