The CSV file contents:
# This is a comment followed by a blank line

# this comment is followed by a run-on line with ^M's
humpty dumpty sat on a rock^Mhumpty dumpty fell^MPoor humpty dumpty is busted all to hell



The script in question:
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;

# define the csv datafile name (and path if need be) 
my $csv = 'testing/testfile.csv';

# Process the CSV file
&read_csv($csv);

# All is well that exits zero...
exit;

sub read_csv { 
    my @chunks;
    open(CONF, $csv);
    while(<CONF>){
        chomp;  
        if (/^#/){ 
            # Must be a comment, skip it
            next;   
        } elsif (/^\s*$/) {
            # Only contains whitespace, skip it
            next;   
        } elsif (/^M/){    
            # Contains dos/mac control characters 
            my @lines = split /^M/, $_;    
            for ( my $i = 0 ; $i <= $#lines ; $i++ ){  
                push(@chunks, $lines[$i]);    
            }    
        } else {
            # assumed to be a normal data line
            push(@chunks, $_);
        }   
    print "Found data for ", scalar(@chunks), " lines in $csv\n\n";
    }   
    close(CONF);
}