The author shifts away from his personal journey because this is not a description of his personal journey, and to focus on it would be to detract from the facts and purpose of the story (Indian culture). The pollution is causing the building to deteriorate, and it is a casualty because it is a unintended consequence from humans living there.
Yes because some people can use their brains and describe the picture in a way that no one else can do kinda like a different perspective
A collective noun is one noun that describes several things. Examples would be team, herd, family, fleet, forest, army, and congregation.
