ww@GIG:~/pl_test$ perl -c countde.pl
countde.pl syntax OK
ww@GIG:~/pl_test$ perl countde.pl
starting script...count is 5
row element is
row element is
row element is
row element is
row element is
ww@GIG:~/pl_test$

##</code><code>##

(Replaces your 17) my $cl_data_row=(\split(/\$de/,$inp_row));
(added) print "\$cl_data_row is $$cl_data_row\n";

##</code><code>##

ww@GIG:~/pl_test$ perl countde.pl
starting script...count is 5
$cl_data_row is per|l|mo|nks|rock|s