The Mount Lebanon governor has shut three farms in the airport vicinity and begun issuing warnings as part of a stricter enforcement within a 5 km radius of Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Mount Lebanon Governor Muhammad Mekawi announced the closure of three farms operating in the airport zone, signalling a shift toward stricter enforcement of environmental and land-use rules around one of Lebanon's most sensitive infrastructure sites. The decision reflects a conviction that environmental measures alone cannot address the underlying problem: the farms' proximity to the airport makes their location incompatible with aviation safety, he said.
The governor explained that the governorate had previously surveyed farms and slaughterhouses in the airport area, but the focus had been narrower than the current mandate. The Council of Ministers had set a 5 km radius around the airport as the exclusion zone for such operations, and enforcement within that full radius is now underway.
Mekawi stressed that the issue is not one of improving environmental standards at these facilities but of their fundamental incompatibility with the airport's location. Any investment in livestock farming, slaughtering, or similar activities within the 5 km perimeter must cease, he said, and the three farm closures represent the first decisive step in that direction.
Beyond farms, the governorate is also moving to address pigeon breeding on rooftops across the region. The practice, common in residential areas around the airport, poses a hazard to aircraft and has become a focus of attention as authorities tighten controls.
Mekawi said the governorate would conduct a comprehensive survey of rooftop pigeon operations before imposing removal deadlines. The process has already begun with the issuance of formal warnings to residents and property owners engaged in the practice.
The short notice periods being given reflect the seriousness with which the governor's office is treating the matter. Rather than extended grace periods, the strategy is to move quickly through warning, survey, and enforcement stages.
The 5 km radius requirement originated in a Council of Ministers decision, giving the enforcement action a mandate rooted in cabinet-level policy rather than the governorate acting alone. This provides legal foundation for closure orders and removal demands.
The airport has long been surrounded by mixed-use land that includes agricultural operations, some dating back decades. The tightening of restrictions represents a reordering of how that zone is managed, prioritizing aviation safety over existing economic activities.
What remains unclear is the timeline for full enforcement, whether compensation or relocation assistance will be offered to affected farm operators, and how broadly the pigeon-removal campaign will extend. The governor's office has indicated that the process is accelerating, but the full scope of disruption to livelihoods around the airport depends on how quickly the survey and warning phases proceed.
